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Lafayette Parish, LA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Lafayette Parish details |
|---|---|
| Court | Fifteenth Judicial District Court |
| Filing office | Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court, Civil Department |
| Courthouse address | Lafayette Parish Courthouse, 800 S. Buchanan St., Lafayette, LA 70501 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 2009, Lafayette, LA 70502 |
| Phone | Main: (337) 291-6400. Successions: (337) 291-6312. Civil Court Cost: (337) 291-6314. Civil Records: (337) 291-6303. |
| Fax | Civil Department fax: (337) 291-6480 |
| Hours | 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except legal holidays and emergency closures ordered by the court. The clerk's holiday list includes closures such as Mardi Gras and General Election Day. The death certificate counter is walk-in only from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. |
| Filing fee | The clerk publishes advance cost deposits, confirmed on August 24, 2026, on a schedule that prints no effective date: $400.00 for a succession and $300.00 for a small succession, with one service included and $100.00 for each additional service. Confirm the current deposit with Civil Court Cost at (337) 291-6314 before filing. |
| Local forms | The clerk states that it does not provide forms. No Lafayette Parish succession form was published by the clerk, the Fifteenth Judicial District Court, or the Lafayette Bar Association. |
| E-filing | The clerk routes electronic civil filings to ClerkConnect. Under the Louisiana filing rule effective January 1, 2026, attorney filings are made in person on paper or transmitted electronically through a system established by a clerk of court or the Louisiana Clerks' Remote Access Authority, and the original testament is filed as an original paper document (La. C.C.P. art. 253). The clerk does not state whether a self-represented filer may open a succession electronically. |
| Case search | The clerk describes a free eClerks LA index search for land, civil, marriage, and probate records. Paid ClerkConnect access includes unsealed civil and probate case information, with civil suit index searches from January 1, 1986, and images beginning May 24, 2006. eSearch is separate for mortgage, conveyance, and UCC records. |
| Remote appearance | Most Lafayette Parish successions are handled ex parte on the papers and do not produce a hearing. If a matter is opposed or the court sets a contradictory hearing, whether it is heard by video is decided by the allotted division. The Fifteenth Judicial District Court publishes rules that apply when a Zoom session has been scheduled. |
| Website | Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court and Fifteenth Judicial District Court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in a Lafayette Parish succession, identify the assets, debts, titled property, beneficiary designations, account balances, and whether any immovable property is in Lafayette Parish. Estate settlement moves faster when the petition, descriptive list, proposed judgment of possession, and recording plan all match the property that actually exists.
Sunset helps families organize estate settlement before a filing trip by searching more than 2,300 financial institutions for accounts and assets, then assembling the information a Louisiana succession attorney or family filer needs to choose the right path.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Successions for Lafayette Parish are filed with the Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court at the courthouse in Lafayette and heard in the Fifteenth Judicial District Court, which also serves Acadia and Vermilion Parishes. The shared judicial district means the judges serve all three parishes, but a Lafayette Parish succession is filed with Lafayette Parish's own clerk in Lafayette.
The Fifteenth Judicial District Court serves Lafayette Parish communities including Lafayette, Broussard, Carencro, Scott, and Youngsville. A succession is opened in the district court of the parish where the decedent was domiciled at death. If the decedent was not domiciled in Louisiana, the succession may be opened in a parish where Louisiana immovable property is located, or where movable property is located if there is no Louisiana immovable property (La. C.C.P. art. 2811).
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the death certificate, the original testament if there is one, asset information, debt information, and title information for any Lafayette Parish immovable property. The Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court issues Louisiana death certificates for deaths after July 9, 2012, at the courthouse, walk-in only, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., for a $26.00 cash-only charge confirmed on August 24, 2026. A listed surviving spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, or named insurance beneficiary may buy one with proper identification. A succession representative who is not in one of those family categories must provide certified letters testamentary or letters of administration.
- Choose the Louisiana succession route before filing. Some small successions use a small succession affidavit and are not opened judicially. Other matters use possession without administration, administration, or independent administration, depending on the testament, debts, heirs, legatees, and whether an immovable must be sold.
- File the petition with the Civil Department of the Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court at 800 S. Buchanan St., Lafayette, or by mail to P.O. Box 2009, Lafayette, LA 70502. The direct successions line is (337) 291-6312.
- Pay the advance cost deposit. The Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court publishes, confirmed on August 24, 2026, on a schedule that prints no effective date, a $400.00 deposit for a succession and a $300.00 deposit for a small succession, with one service included and $100.00 for each additional service. Confirm the current amount with Civil Court Cost at (337) 291-6314 before filing.
- Deliver the original testament as an original paper document if there is one. Louisiana law separately provides that the clerk retains the original testament in perpetuity once it is probated or ordered filed and executed (La. C.C.P. art. 2911). Ask for certified copies when you need proof for banks, title work, or later filings.
- In an unopposed matter, the clerk of court may probate the testament, confirm or appoint the succession representative, and issue letters testamentary or letters of administration after the representative qualifies (La. C.C.P. arts. 282, 283, 3159). Contested matters and contradictory proceedings go to the district judge.
- Prepare the inventory or sworn detailed descriptive list, address debts through the proper court process, and request the judgment of possession. In an uncontested possession proceeding, Louisiana law directs the court to render and sign the judgment of possession immediately (La. C.C.P. art. 3061).
- If Lafayette Parish immovable property is involved, record the signed judgment of possession with the Recording Department. Under the clerk's recording schedule tied to Act 173 of the 2017 Regular Legislative Session, effective August 1, 2018, recording charges begin at $105.00 for a one to five page document in one index type and include a $5.00 portal fee, ten indexed names, and one certified copy.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Lafayette Parish
The Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court does not publish succession forms. Its FAQ says the office does not provide forms and points people who want forms to the Lafayette Bar Association at (337) 237-4700. The clerk's Forms page, the Fifteenth Judicial District Court's Orders and Forms page, and the Lafayette Bar Association's published packet list do not include a succession petition, succession checklist, or judgment of possession packet.
A Louisiana succession is opened by pleadings drafted to the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure rather than by completing a statewide succession form set. The one clerk form an estate filer may still need locally is the application for a certified copy of a death certificate, which is separate from the succession filing.
Fees
The amounts below are the Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court's published local costs, confirmed on August 24, 2026. The Civil Advanced Cost Fees schedule prints no effective date for the succession deposits, so confirm the current deposit with the Civil Court Cost section at (337) 291-6314 before filing.
For recording a judgment of possession or another conveyance document, the clerk ties the recording schedule to Act 173 of the 2017 Regular Legislative Session, effective August 1, 2018. The individual recording rows below state the cost item and amount only.
| Cost item | Published amount |
|---|---|
| Civil advance deposit for a succession | $400.00 |
| Civil advance deposit for a small succession opened with the court | $300.00 |
| Service included in the advance deposit | One service included |
| Each additional service | $100.00 |
| Service through the Secretary of State | $50.00 per service |
| Recording in one index type, 1 to 5 pages | $105.00 |
| Recording in one index type, 6 to 25 pages | $205.00 |
| Recording in one index type, 26 to 50 pages | $305.00 |
| Recording in one index type, 51 or more pages | $305.00 for the first 50 pages plus $5.00 per additional page |
| Names indexed after the first ten | $5.00 per name |
| Paper size charge for paper other than 8.5 by 11 inches or 8.5 by 14 inches | $20.00 per page |
| Copies | $1.00 per page |
| Conformed copy | $5.00 plus the copy fee |
| Certified copy | $10.00 plus the copy fee |
| Incoming civil filing by fax | $5.00 per fax plus $15.00 for confirmation |
Local nuance
Lafayette Parish-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Lafayette Parish succession |
|---|---|
| Shared Fifteenth Judicial District Court | Acadia, Lafayette, and Vermilion Parishes share the Fifteenth Judicial District Court, but each parish keeps its own elected clerk of court and filing counter. File a Lafayette Parish succession in Lafayette. |
| Civil Department handles successions | The clerk's Civil Department states that it files civil suits, clerk's suits, adoptions, successions, and related matters. Use the successions line, (337) 291-6312, for filing questions. |
| Courthouse entry rules | The public entrance is on the south side of the courthouse. Everyone and all packages are searched. Cellphones, smart watches, recording devices, cameras, and other electronic devices are on the clerk's prohibited-items list, so plan to leave them behind. |
| Originals and certified copies | The clerk states that original documents deposited with the office are not returned. That fits the statewide rule that the original testament is kept by the clerk. Ask for certified copies when you file or record. |
| Layered record systems | Use the free eClerks LA index for a first search, ClerkConnect for paid court record access, and eSearch for recorded mortgage, conveyance, and UCC records. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed |
|---|---|
| Small succession law | Act 293 of 2026, effective August 1, 2026, raised the small succession ceiling for a Louisiana-domiciled decedent to $200,000 (La. C.C.P. art. 3421). |
| Attorney filing rule | Beginning January 1, 2026, attorney filings are made in person on paper or transmitted electronically through a system established by a clerk of court or by the Louisiana Clerks' Remote Access Authority, and the original testament remains an original paper filing (La. C.C.P. art. 253). |
| Lafayette online records | The Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court states that beginning in January 2025, civil and criminal online record subscriptions and copy purchases moved to ClerkConnect, and the prior clerkconnect.lpclerk.com site is no longer maintained. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Lafayette Parish path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | This is usually a community property and usufruct analysis. Each spouse owns an undivided half of the community property, and the succession reaches the decedent's half (La. C.C. art. 2336). If descendants survive, the spouse may have a usufruct over the decedent's share of the community that ends on death or remarriage (La. C.C. art. 890). The Lafayette Parish judgment of possession is recorded with the Recording Department if the home is in Lafayette Parish. | Sunset helps identify the home, mortgages, accounts, and beneficiary assets so the estate settlement packet separates community property, separate property, and non-succession transfers. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Where the small succession affidavit route applies, the succession is not opened judicially (La. C.C.P. art. 3431). If Lafayette Parish immovable property is involved and the affidavit route fits, the affidavit is recorded in the conveyance records (La. C.C.P. art. 3434). If a small succession is instead opened with the court, the clerk's civil advance deposit applies. Certified civil records can be requested by e-mail with payment in advance, which can reduce travel for copies. | Sunset helps locate accounts and prepare a clear asset list so the family and any Louisiana attorney can decide whether the affidavit route or a court-opened succession fits. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of Lafayette Parish immovable property often points toward administration or independent administration so a succession representative can obtain letters and authority to act. The filing is made with the Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court, and the eventual judgment or sale-related document is handled through the Recording Department. | Sunset helps find debts, accounts, title issues, and missing financial information before the family asks a court to appoint a succession representative or approve the next step. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it can help | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Acadiana Legal Service Corporation | Free civil legal assistance for low-income people, subject to eligibility and case priorities. The organization names estate planning among its civil law topics, but it does not advertise succession representation. Its Lafayette office notice says staff are working remotely during repairs, so use intake first. | 1-866-275-2572. Online applications are available through the organization. Phone applications are taken Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. to noon, and Thursday from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., subject to change. |
| Lafayette Bar Association | The clerk points people here for forms. The Bar sells form packets for use in the Fifteenth Judicial District Court, but its published packet list does not include a succession packet. Counsel on Call offers a free 15-minute brief advice session on a civil legal issue, once per month, for adults. | 2607 Johnston Street, Lafayette, LA 70503. (337) 237-4700. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Friday. |
| Fifteenth Judicial District Court self-represented litigants resources | General court orientation, including what to expect in court and how to prepare for a court appearance. It is not succession-specific. | Self-represented litigants resources |
| LouisianaLawHelp.org | Statewide public legal information with sections for Estates, Wills, And Guardianships, legal aid organization lookup by parish, and online applications for free legal help. | LouisianaLawHelp.org |
| Law Library of Louisiana | Research guides and self-represented litigant materials from the Louisiana Supreme Court's law library. Use it for research, not legal advice. | Law Library of Louisiana research guides |
The Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court is a filing and records office. Court staff and clerk staff cannot give legal advice, choose the succession route, or draft the petition for you.
When to hire an attorney
A Louisiana succession attorney is especially useful in Lafayette Parish when the clerk provides no succession forms, a testament must be probated, heirs or legatees disagree, a nonresident succession representative needs a Louisiana agent, debts must be paid through court authority, or Lafayette Parish immovable property must be sold. The Lafayette Bar Association can provide brief advice and attorney referrals, and Sunset connects families with a vetted attorney for the estate settlement.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches more than 2,300 financial institutions to help identify accounts, balances, and assets that should be considered before a Lafayette Parish succession is filed.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information needed for a Louisiana succession packet, including asset lists, debts, family information, and documents a local attorney can use to prepare the petition, descriptive list, and proposed judgment of possession.
Find a local probate attorney. Sunset can connect you with a vetted Louisiana attorney familiar with Lafayette Parish estate settlement, the Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court, and the Fifteenth Judicial District Court.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand the estate settlement work ahead, gather documents, and decide whether to handle a simple step or work with counsel.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file a succession in Lafayette Parish?
File with the Civil Department of the Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court at the Lafayette Parish Courthouse, 800 S. Buchanan St., Lafayette, LA 70501. The direct successions line is (337) 291-6312. Lafayette Parish matters are heard in the Fifteenth Judicial District Court, which also serves Acadia and Vermilion Parishes, but Lafayette Parish filings stay with the Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court.
Does Lafayette Parish have succession forms?
No Lafayette Parish succession forms are published by the clerk, the Fifteenth Judicial District Court, or the Lafayette Bar Association. The clerk's FAQ says the office does not provide forms and refers people seeking forms to the Lafayette Bar Association at (337) 237-4700.
What does it cost to open a Lafayette Parish succession?
The Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court publishes advance cost deposits, confirmed on August 24, 2026, on a schedule that prints no effective date: $400.00 for a succession and $300.00 for a small succession, with one service included and $100.00 for each additional service. Confirm the current amount with Civil Court Cost at (337) 291-6314 before filing.
Can I e-file a Lafayette Parish succession?
The clerk routes electronic civil filings to ClerkConnect. Louisiana's attorney filing rule effective January 1, 2026, allows attorney filings in person on paper or electronically through a clerk-established system or the Louisiana Clerks' Remote Access Authority (La. C.C.P. art. 253). The original testament is filed as an original paper document and is retained by the clerk (La. C.C.P. art. 2911). The clerk does not state whether a self-represented filer may open a succession electronically.
Can I look up a Lafayette Parish succession online?
The clerk describes a free eClerks LA index search for land, civil, marriage, and probate records. For case details and images, the paid ClerkConnect court-records subscription includes unsealed civil and probate case information, with civil suit index searches from January 1, 1986, and images beginning May 24, 2006. Older matters or certified copies may require a request to Civil Records at [email protected] or (337) 291-6303.
Will a Lafayette Parish succession hearing be by Zoom?
Most Lafayette Parish successions are handled ex parte on the papers and never produce a hearing. A hearing usually comes up when a matter is opposed or the court orders a contradictory proceeding. If a hearing is set, whether it is heard by video is decided by the allotted division of the Fifteenth Judicial District Court. The court publishes rules for Zoom sessions that have already been scheduled, so ask the clerk's office or the judge's office when the matter is set.
Do I have to travel to Lafayette to settle an estate?
Not always. Many records can be searched online, certified civil records can be requested by e-mail with payment in advance, and attorneys can often handle filing logistics. If you do come to the courthouse, use the south-side public entrance and plan for screening. Cellphones, smart watches, recording devices, cameras, and other electronic devices are on the clerk's prohibited-items list.
Can the Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court issue the death certificate?
For Louisiana deaths after July 9, 2012, the clerk issues death certificates at the courthouse, walk-in only, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The published charge is $26.00 cash only, confirmed on August 24, 2026. A listed spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, or named insurance beneficiary may buy one with proper identification. A succession representative who is not a listed family member needs certified letters testamentary or letters of administration.
Shaped by the families we've helped
Thank you to the thousands of families who have trusted Sunset to help settle their loved ones' estates. This page is shaped by the questions they actually asked and the obstacles they actually hit — and that hard-won experience is what keeps it accurate, current, and genuinely useful to the families who come next.