Your search details are ready. Continue to review available court-record search options. Louisiana Court Records: Search Cases, Dockets, Criminal Records & Certified Copies Louisiana court records are not kept in one universal case database. Most trial-court files are maintained by the clerk of court serving the parish where the case was filed , while appellate cases use one of Louisiana’s five Courts of Appeal and Supreme Court matters use separate state-level resources. Louisiana’s eClerks LA system can help locate participating parish records, but coverage, document images and fees still vary by clerk. This guide also covers the frequently searched appellate case State of Louisiana vs. Kenneth Collins . That case is a useful real-world example because the official Fourth Circuit opinion connects an Orleans Parish trial docket to appellate case 2024-KA-0509 and shows exactly how a Louisiana trial record becomes an appellate opinion. What Louisiana Court Record Do You Need? Parish civil or criminal case Start with the Clerk of Court for the parish where the case was filed. Use eClerks LA when that parish participates in the relevant search service. Louisiana appeal or opinion Identify the appellate circuit, then search by appeal number, trial-court number or litigant name on that circuit’s official website. Certified court document Find the exact docket and document first. Then request certification from the clerk that maintains the official record. Find a court date Use the court or parish system listed on your citation, notice or summons. Appellate docket calendars are searched separately. Criminal background check A Louisiana court docket is not the same as an official statewide criminal-history report from Louisiana State Police. State of Louisiana vs. Kenneth Collins Use Fourth Circuit appeal 2024-KA-0509 and Orleans Parish Criminal District Court case 554-641 to follow the official record trail. Understand the Louisiana Court System Before Searching Louisiana’s current state judicial structure includes the Louisiana Supreme Court, five Courts of Appeal, 43 district courts, specialized family or juvenile courts, city courts and parish courts. The type of case determines which clerk, court website and record system you should use. What eClerks LA Can—and Cannot—Do eClerks LA is operated through the Louisiana Clerks’ Remote Access Authority. It is a legitimate statewide entry point for services provided by Louisiana clerks, but it should not be treated as a guaranteed complete database of every Louisiana court document. Statewide Portal eClerks LA describes its statewide portal as a free way to quickly locate participating land records, marriage licenses and civil information. Participating parish services can offer subscriptions, record searching and access to printable document images. Criminal Search eClerks LA provides a criminal-search route across participating Louisiana parish records. The free alert system can monitor selected criminal cases and send email or text notifications when configured. Open eClerks LA → · Find the correct Louisiana parish clerk → How to Search Louisiana Court Records Step by Step Identify the parish and court level Look at the citation, summons, pleading, judgment, attorney letter or court notice. Write down the parish, court name and division. Identify the parish and court level Look at the citation, summons, pleading, judgment, attorney letter or court notice. Write down the parish, court name and division. Find the docket or case number Louisiana courts may call it a docket number, suit number, appeal number, record number or case number. This is normally more reliable than a broad name search. Find the docket or case number Louisiana courts may call it a docket number, suit number, appeal number, record number or case number. This is normally more reliable than a broad name search. Open the official clerk or court search Use eClerks LA or the parish clerk’s official website for trial records. Use the correct appellate court website for appeals. Open the official clerk or court search Use eClerks LA or the parish clerk’s official website for trial records. Use the correct appellate court website for appeals. Search the number exactly first Keep year codes, letters and punctuation when the system expects them. If no result appears, try the site’s documented alternate format before changing to a name search. Search the number exactly first Keep year codes, letters and punctuation when the system expects them. If no result appears, try the site’s documented alternate format before changing to a name search. Verify the result Check party role, parish, court, filing year, case type and disposition. A matching name by itself does not prove identity. Verify the result Check party role, parish, court, filing year, case type and disposition. A matching name by itself does not prove identity. Read the full docket Look beyond the first complaint, indictment or charge. Later entries can show dismissal, judgment, plea, sentence, appeal, remand or another disposition. Read the full docket Look beyond the first complaint, indictment or charge. Later entries can show dismissal, judgment, plea, sentence, appeal, remand or another disposition. Request the exact document if needed Use the docket to identify the judgment, minute entry, order, petition, opinion or other filing by title and date. Request the exact document if needed Use the docket to identify the judgment, minute entry, order, petition, opinion or other filing by title and date. Ask for certification only when required A screenshot, downloaded image and clerk-certified record are different. Confirm what the receiving agency actually requires before paying. Ask for certification only when required A screenshot, downloaded image and clerk-certified record are different. Confirm what the receiving agency actually requires before paying. Louisiana Court Records Search by Name How to Find a Louisiana Court Date Read the citation or court notice first. Identify parish, court and division. Use the clerk/court’s own docket search. Search the exact docket number if available. Recheck before the hearing because settings can change. Identify the Louisiana appellate circuit. Use its docket or lodged-appeal search. Search the appellate case number. Check oral-argument calendars separately where provided. Use the opinion search after a decision is rendered. Louisiana Court Records by Case Type State of Louisiana vs. Kenneth Collins: Case 2024-KA-0509 Searchers looking for State of Louisiana vs. Kenneth Collins or State of Louisiana v. Kenneth Collins are generally looking for the June 18, 2025 Louisiana Fourth Circuit opinion arising from Orleans Parish Criminal District Court. What happened in State of Louisiana v. Kenneth Collins? The official Fourth Circuit opinion states that Kenneth Collins appealed his conviction for second degree murder . The underlying prosecution was filed in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court. The jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict on February 8, 2024, and Collins was sentenced on April 24, 2024 to life imprisonment at hard labor without benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence. The Fourth Circuit affirmed the conviction on June 18, 2025. Issues Collins raised on appeal Sufficiency of evidence / self-defense Collins challenged whether the evidence proved the required intent and argued that the State failed to disprove self-defense. The Fourth Circuit rejected the assignment. Detective narration of surveillance video He challenged testimony describing surveillance footage. The appellate court found adequate personal knowledge and no reversible error. Excluded expert testimony Collins argued that excluding proposed expert testimony concerning chronic alcohol abuse impaired his defense. The Fourth Circuit found no abuse of discretion. How to find State of Louisiana vs. Kenneth Collins yourself Open the official Fourth Circuit search Open Louisiana Fourth Circuit Search →

Open the official Fourth Circuit search Open Louisiana Fourth Circuit Search → Select Opinions You can search by court case number, opinion date, month/year or litigant name. Select Opinions You can search by court case number, opinion date, month/year or litigant name. Search the appellate case number Use year 2024 and case number 0509 , or search the litigant name Kenneth Collins . Search the appellate case number Use year 2024 and case number 0509 , or search the litigant name Kenneth Collins . Use the trial number if researching the lower-court record The Fourth Circuit opinion identifies the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court case as 554-641, Section E . Use the trial number if researching the lower-court record The Fourth Circuit opinion identifies the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court case as 554-641, Section E . Open the official opinion PDF Read the official Fourth Circuit Kenneth Collins opinion → Open the official opinion PDF Read the official Fourth Circuit Kenneth Collins opinion → Need a copy from the Fourth Circuit? The Fourth Circuit currently publishes these copy charges: Electronic copy Current published per-page electronic copy fee. Standard paper copy Current published per-page copy fee. Current published certified-copy fee per page. Fourth Circuit Clerk: (504) 412-6001 · [email protected] Louisiana Court of Appeal Records Louisiana has five intermediate Courts of Appeal. Each publishes its own dockets, opinions and court information, so there is no reason to search the Fourth Circuit for a case that belongs to the Second or Third Circuit. Fourth Circuit case / docket / opinion search → How to Get Louisiana Court Record Copies Louisiana does not have one statewide copy price for every trial court. Parish clerks and appellate courts publish or quote their own applicable charges. Contact the record-holding office before mailing money or ordering an entire file. Louisiana Criminal Court Records vs. State Police Background Check Parish / court case Shows information connected to a particular prosecution or court docket. Useful for judgments, minutes, charges, pleas, sentences and filings where public. Louisiana State Police The official State Police background-check process is different from a parish court search. The current LSP authorization form lists a $31 state background-check processing fee , with an additional FBI fee where authorized or required. Louisiana State Police → Louisiana Court Record Not Showing Online? Sealed, Expunged & Confidential Louisiana Records Records that may have restricted access Expunged criminal matters Sealed court files Juvenile proceedings Adoption records Protected family documents Confidential identifiers or medical information Case visible, document hidden Index may remain public while image access is limited Older documents may not be digitized Clerk review or redaction may be required Some access may be limited to parties or authorized users Federal Court Records in Louisiana Use PACER when the matter is filed in federal court. Louisiana federal cases can be in the Eastern, Middle or Western District of Louisiana, federal bankruptcy court, or the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Eastern District Federal matters centered around the New Orleans-area federal district. Middle District Federal matters centered around the Baton Rouge-area district. Western District Federal matters covering substantial portions of western and northern Louisiana. Use our PACER court-records guide → Louisiana Supreme Court & Fourth Circuit Location 400 Royal Street Louisiana Supreme Court 400 Royal Street New Orleans, LA 70130 Supreme Court Clerk: (504) 310-2300 Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal Physical location: 3rd Floor, 400 Royal Street Mailing address: 410 Royal Street, New Orleans, LA 70130-2199 Fourth Circuit Clerk: (504) 412-6001 [email protected] Continue With the Correct Court Record Guide Louisiana Court Records FAQs Official Sources Used for This Guide State of Louisiana / Judicial Branch Used to verify Louisiana’s current court structure, including the Supreme Court, five Courts of Appeal, district courts and local courts. Louisiana Judicial Branch → Louisiana Clerks & eClerks LA Used to verify parish clerk responsibilities, eClerks statewide portal functions, criminal search, parish access and remote-record services. eClerks LA → Louisiana Clerks of Court Association → Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal Used for appellate search functionality, the State of Louisiana v. Kenneth Collins opinion, current Clerk contact information and current copy charges. Fourth Circuit → Fourth Circuit Search → State v. Kenneth Collins Official Opinion → Louisiana Supreme Court / Louisiana State Police Used for Supreme Court location/contact context and the distinction between court records and official state criminal-history checks. Louisiana Supreme Court → Louisiana State Police → Official information reviewed: August 22, 2026 . Louisiana parish portal coverage, copy charges, court calendars and online-access rules can change. For a specific deadline, certified record or court appearance, verify the current information with the clerk or court maintaining the case. Leave a Comment Cancel reply