Ouachita Parish District Court Overview
The primary trial court for Ouachita Parish is the Fourth Judicial District Court. The court states that it is one of Louisiana's 43 judicial districts and has original jurisdiction over civil and criminal matters in Ouachita and Morehouse Parishes. In Ouachita Parish, the district court is the place to research felony criminal cases, larger civil cases, divorces, probate and successions, family matters, interdictions, tutorships, name changes, district-level traffic/criminal filings, and specialty court matters tied to district court cases.
The district court courthouse is at 300 St John Street, Monroe, LA 71201. Judges Office and Administration can be reached at 318-361-2250, and Court Services at 318-361-2292. The Ouachita Parish Clerk of Court is nearby at 301 South Grand Street, Suite 104, Monroe, LA 71201, and handles district court filings and copies through the Clerk office.
Fourth Judicial District Court
Ouachita Parish Courthouse
300 St John Street
Monroe, LA 71201
Judges Office: 318-361-2250
Court Services: 318-361-2292
Ouachita Parish District Court Judges
The Ouachita Parish Clerk judge endpoint lists Fourth Judicial District Court divisions, judges, court reporters, and contact numbers. Divisions share the downtown Monroe courthouse address for Ouachita Parish district court business. Some divisions handle broad district court work, while specialty assignments and docket settings depend on the court's internal scheduling.
| Division | Judge | Court Reporter | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Judge C. Wendell Manning | Jessica Duckworth | 300 St John Street, Monroe | 318-361-2270 |
| 2 | Judge Robert C. Johnson | Vickie Morris | 300 St John Street, Monroe | 318-361-3229 |
| 3 | Judge J. Wilson Rambo | Cathy Russell | 300 St John Street, Monroe | 318-361-2286 |
| 4 | Judge Jefferson Joyce | Denise Scott | 300 St John Street, Monroe | 318-361-3225 |
| 5 | Judge Frederick D. Jones | Marie Madison | 300 St John Street, Monroe | 318-361-2253 |
| A | Judge B. Scott Leehy | Sabrina Racer | 300 St John Street, Monroe | 318-361-2285 |
| B | Judge Sharon I. Marchman | Janet Matter | 300 St John Street, Monroe | 318-361-2291 |
| D | Judge H. Stephens Winters | Jennifer Bradshaw | 300 St John Street, Monroe | 318-361-2260 |
| E | Judge Walter M. Caldwell, IV | Bridget Chunn | 300 St John Street, Monroe | 318-361-2296 |
| H | Judge Larry D. Jefferson, Chief Judge | Kenya Roberson | 300 St John Street, Monroe | 318-361-2257 |
| I | Judge Alvin R. Sharp | Christina Elahi | 300 St John Street, Monroe | 318-361-2298 |
| K | Judge Jefferson Joyce | Denise Scott | 300 St John Street, Monroe | 318-361-3225 |
Ouachita Parish Court Hierarchy
Louisiana's court system begins with the Louisiana Supreme Court, followed by five courts of appeal, then trial courts that include district courts and local lower courts. Ouachita Parish matters route to the Louisiana Second Circuit Court of Appeal when appealed from the district court level. The Fourth Judicial District Court remains the trial court for the parish's district-level case files.
The Louisiana Supreme Court is the statewide judicial authority at the top of the Louisiana court system.
The Supreme Court source places Ouachita Parish District Court records within the broader Louisiana judiciary.
The Louisiana Second Circuit Court of Appeal is the appellate court for northern Louisiana matters including Ouachita Parish district court appeals.
The Second Circuit source helps distinguish trial court records from appellate records after a district court judgment is appealed.
Court flow: Lower local court when assigned by venue › Fourth Judicial District Court for district matters › Louisiana Second Circuit Court of Appeal › Louisiana Supreme Court when review is available.
District Court vs City Courts
Search errors often happen because district court and city court records are separate. Monroe City Court handles Monroe traffic and misdemeanor matters, limited civil matters in Monroe and Wards 3 and 10 up to $25,000, evictions, and certain juvenile matters. West Monroe City Court handles civil, juvenile, misdemeanor criminal, traffic, probation, ordinance violations, and DWI matters prosecuted by the City Attorney. Mayor's courts and justice of the peace courts can also exist as lower local courts in Louisiana, but the key Ouachita research sources identified Monroe and West Monroe city-court channels.
| Point | District Court | City Courts | Mayor's or JP Courts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Ouachita role | Felony, major civil, divorce, probate, family, district traffic/criminal | City traffic, misdemeanors, limited civil, evictions, ordinance, juvenile | Local lower-court matters where jurisdiction exists |
| Record custodian | Ouachita Parish Clerk of Court | City court clerk or city court office | Local court office |
| Search risk | May not show city-only cases | May not show felony or district civil cases | May require direct local contact |
| Appeal context | Appeals route to Second Circuit when applicable | Appeal route depends on case type and law | Appeal route depends on court type and case |
Ouachita Parish Case Flow
Criminal district court records begin after law enforcement and prosecution steps create a district court filing. The Clerk Criminal Department receives formal charges from the Fourth Judicial District Attorney. Misdemeanors inside municipal limits may be handled by municipal courts, while felony charges and district-level criminal filings are handled in district court. Civil records start when a petition or other pleading is filed with the Clerk Civil Department.
Criminal flow: Arrest or citation › DA charging decision › Bill of information or indictment › Arraignment › Motions and hearings › Plea or trial › Disposition and sentence › Appeal if filed.
Civil flow: Petition filed › Clerk indexes suit › Service or process issued › Answer or default path › Motions, conference, or trial › Judgment › Appeal if filed.
Ouachita Parish District Divisions
The district court record mix is broad because the Fourth Judicial District Court has original jurisdiction over civil and criminal matters in Ouachita and Morehouse Parishes. Civil district court files include ordinary suits, evictions filed in district court, name changes, interdictions, tutorships, minor settlements, divorces, and probate or succession matters. Criminal district court files include felony charges, bills of information, indictments, motions, orders, minute entries, bond forfeiture notices, subpoenas, evidence handling, dispositions, and sentences.
Traffic can be split. The Clerk Traffic Department files traffic citations from Louisiana State Police, the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Department, and municipalities around the Fourth Judicial District Court, but the Clerk does not set or collect fines. Some city traffic and misdemeanor matters belong to Monroe City Court or West Monroe City Court, and some West Monroe Police Department tickets are routed differently based on the prosecuting authority.
District Court and Driver Records
A district court traffic or DWI record is not the same file as a state driver record. The court file shows the citation or criminal case path, motions, minutes, orders, and disposition. The Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles official driving record is a state driver-history product that can show license and driving-record information. A person checking a court traffic case may need both channels, but one does not replace the other.
The Louisiana OMV online services page is a state driver-services source rather than an Ouachita Parish District Court records source.
The OMV source helps separate court case lookup from driver-license and driving-record transactions.
The Louisiana OMV official driving record service is the state online path for an official driving record.
That driver-record service may reflect traffic outcomes, but the underlying court case still belongs with the proper court and clerk.
Ouachita Parish Specialty Courts
Specialty programs can affect criminal and traffic case flow after a charge is filed. The 4JDC Adult Drug and Alcohol Court is tied to criminal and DWI records. The official page lists Judge Sharon I. Marchman as presiding judge, the program coordinator at the courthouse, and daily drug-testing check instructions. The Fourth Judicial District Attorney also describes Drug/DWI Court, Re-Entry Court, Pretrial Diversion, and Traffic Pretrial Diversion.
The Fourth Judicial District Attorney Drug Court page describes Drug/DWI Court as a specialty court for eligible non-violent offenders with substance-abuse issues.
Drug Court may change supervision and review steps, but the case remains tied to district court records and prosecutorial action.
The Fourth Judicial District Attorney Re-Entry Court page describes a felony offender program with incarceration, training, release supervision, reviews, testing, and counseling components.
Re-Entry Court is a program path within criminal case handling, not a separate public-records office.
Ouachita Parish Courthouse Access
The district courthouse is in downtown Monroe near the courthouse annex, St. Francis parking area, District Attorney, Sheriff's Office, and Monroe City Court. The official 4JDC directions tell visitors to use the front entrance facing the river on South Grand. The St. John Street entrance opposite St. Francis is identified as the disabled-access entrance only. Free parking options include the lot adjoining the Courthouse and Courthouse Annex, the St. Francis Parking Garage above the fifth floor, and the lot across the street by the Ouachita River.
From I-20 westbound, the official directions route drivers past Monroe City Court, the St. Francis parking garage, and the courthouse annex before reaching the courthouse. From I-20 eastbound, the court directs drivers to use the Civic Center Exit, follow hospital signs, turn at the bank, then continue past the garage and annex. The court does not publish a full prohibited-items or screening list in the research sources, so entry rules should be confirmed before bringing recording equipment, large bags, or other restricted items.
Note: Clerk records-counter hours are 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday excluding holidays, which may differ from a hearing schedule.
Ouachita Parish Court History
Ouachita Parish's record history is anchored by the Clerk Research Department's statement that written and computer indexes date back to 1843. That index depth is important for older civil, probate, marriage, divorce, property, mortgage, conveyance, and military records. Current digital access through Clerk Connect does not mean every older record is online, and a research request may be needed for historic district court records.
The current district court identity is regional because the Fourth Judicial District Court covers Ouachita and Morehouse Parishes. That explains why some official court, district attorney, public defender, self-help, specialty court, and program sources refer to both parishes. The local record point remains Ouachita Parish when the filing, courthouse, clerk counter, or case venue is in Ouachita Parish.