St. Martin County
St. Martin Parish is located in southern Louisiana as part of the Lafayette Metropolitan Area and includes portions of the Atchafalaya Basin. As of 2022, St. Martin Parish has approximately 51,856 residents and spans roughly 737.5 square miles. St. Martin Parish has two parish seats, St. Martinville and Breaux Bridge, for the southern and northern portions, respectively. The Parish judicial system includes the District, Mayor's, Justice of the Peace, and City Courts, serving its residents' legal needs.
The District Court is part of the 16th Judicial District with jurisdiction over civil cases, criminal proceedings, and probate matters. It includes specialized divisions such as Drug Court and Juvenile Court to address specific legal needs. It also hears appeals from lower courts within the parish. The Mayor's Courts, found in municipalities such as Breaux Bridge and St. Martinville, handle traffic violations, and local ordinance disputes. They may also impose fines, probation, and imprisonment. Justice of the Peace Courts oversees preliminary hearings for most criminal cases, general civil claims within financial limits, and litter violations. Meanwhile, the City Courts handle traffic infractions, ordinance violations, and misdemeanors. It has a Small Claims Division for general civil claims not exceeding $3,000, exclusive of interest and costs.
St. Martin Parish provides public access to most court documents under the Louisiana Public Records Act, with exceptions for juvenile or sealed records. These documents include names of involved parties, transcripts, court judgments, and other details related to proceedings in the county's trial courts. These records provide litigants the opportunity to examine the position of the courts in previous cases. Examples of Public Records are:
- Civil records
- Criminal records
- Traffic records
- Family law records
- Probate records
Court records are maintained by the Clerk of Court and individuals can inspect or request copies by visiting the clerk's office.
415 St. Martin Street
St. Martinville, LA 70582
Phone: (337) 394-2210
Email: clerk@stmartinparishclerk.com
Records are available through the Online Portal maintained by the Clerk of Court for subscribers interested in court-related matters in St. Martin Parish.
