Lincoln County
Lincoln Parish was established in 1873 and named in honor of President Abraham Lincoln. The parish covers approximately 471.6 square miles of land and has an estimated population of 48,396 people. Ruston serves as the parish seat. The Lincoln Parish court system consists of a District Court, a City Court, four Justice Courts, and four Mayor's Courts.
The Lincoln Parish District Court, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Third Judicial District Court of Louisiana, has jurisdiction over all cases that arise within its territorial limits. They handle a variety of cases, including civil disputes, criminal matters, juvenile cases, family law cases, and probate matters. The City Court has limited jurisdiction, handling certain types of civil and criminal cases. Criminal cases handled by the City Courts typically include misdemeanors, ordinance violations, traffic offenses, and other non-jury cases not punishable by hard labor. Civil cases are generally limited to disputes involving smaller monetary amounts or property values.
The Justice Courts in Lincoln Parish have limited jurisdiction, handling matters involving misdemeanors, ordinances violations, small claims, and disputes involving lower monetary amounts. They are not authorized to hear serious criminal cases or large civil disputes that require jury trials. Such cases are escalated to District or City Courts. The Mayor's Courts have limited jurisdiction, typically overseeing local ordinance violations, traffic violations, and lesser criminal offenses that do not require jury trials.
Lincoln Parish court records are essential legal documents that document the proceedings, decisions, and actions taken within the county's court system. They contain judgment, pleadings, case filings, and transcripts and include the following:
- Probate Records
- Juvenile Records
- Civil Records
- Criminal Records
- Family Records
In Lincoln Parish, the Clerk of Courts is responsible for maintaining all court records. Cases that have been sealed or deemed confidential due to certain legal conditions are not accessible to the public. Individuals may visit the courthouses to request court records at:
Lincoln Parish District Court
100 W Texas Avenue, 3rd Floor
Ruston, LA 71270
Phone: (318) 251-5121
Lincoln Parish City Court
401 North Trenton Street
Ruston, LA 71273
