DeSoto Parish Bankruptcy Records
DeSoto Parish bankruptcy records are filed and managed through the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Louisiana, Shreveport Division, serving Mansfield and the entire parish. This page explains how to search DeSoto Parish bankruptcy records on PACER, where to file, what records are available to the public, and what fees apply.
DeSoto Parish Quick Facts
Federal Bankruptcy Court for DeSoto Parish
DeSoto Parish is part of the Shreveport Division of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Louisiana. The courthouse is the Tom Stagg U.S. Courthouse at 300 Fannin Street, Suite 2201, Shreveport, LA 71101. The phone number for the clerk's office is (318) 676-4267. Shreveport is about 30 miles north of Mansfield, making the Shreveport courthouse the closest staffed federal bankruptcy location for DeSoto Parish residents.
Chief Judge Hon. John S. Hodge presides over the Western District. The clerk of court for the Western District is Edward Takara. The Shreveport Division handles bankruptcy filings for DeSoto Parish along with Caddo, Bossier, Bienville, Claiborne, Red River, Sabine, and Webster parishes. The court accepts cash, money orders, and cashier's checks for all filing fees. Personal checks are not accepted at the window.
The court's official website at https://www.lawb.uscourts.gov/ has downloadable forms, local rules, a fee schedule, and contact details for all Western District divisions. Before filing or visiting in person, review the site to confirm current procedures, since court practices can shift over time, especially for pro se filers who do not use an attorney.
The Western District court site is the first place to check before you file or call the Shreveport office.Visit the U.S. Bankruptcy Court Western District of Louisiana website
The Western District court website lists all forms, local rules, and contact information applicable to DeSoto Parish cases processed through the Shreveport Division.
Note: All DeSoto Parish bankruptcy filings go through the Shreveport courthouse at 300 Fannin Street; there is no local federal bankruptcy clerk's office in Mansfield.
DeSoto Parish Clerk of Court
The DeSoto Parish Clerk of Court manages state civil, criminal, and probate records for the state district court in Mansfield. The clerk's office does not hold federal bankruptcy records. Those belong to the federal court system and are filed with and stored by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. If you need state-level records in DeSoto Parish, such as civil judgments, mortgage liens, or property documents, the parish clerk's office is the right starting point.
Clerk: Lisa Lobrano Burson. Address: 101 Texas Street, Mansfield, LA 71052. Mailing: P.O. Box 1206, Mansfield, LA 71052. Phone: (318) 872-3110. Fax: (318) 872-4202. The clerk's website at www.desotoparishclerk.org has returned HTTP 403 errors in some instances, meaning the site may be down or access-restricted. If you cannot reach the website, call the office directly.
| Clerk | Lisa Lobrano Burson |
|---|---|
| Address | 101 Texas Street, Mansfield LA 71052 |
| Mailing | P.O. Box 1206, Mansfield LA 71052 |
| Phone | (318) 872-3110 |
| Fax | (318) 872-4202 |
Note: The DeSoto Parish Clerk does not maintain federal bankruptcy records; contact the U.S. Bankruptcy Court Shreveport Division at (318) 676-4267 for those. The clerk's website has experienced access issues, so call (318) 872-3110 for direct assistance.
How to Search DeSoto Parish Bankruptcy Records
PACER is the federal court system's official portal for accessing bankruptcy records online. It stands for Public Access to Court Electronic Records. Through PACER, you can search case dockets and view documents filed in any federal bankruptcy court in the country, including the Western District of Louisiana. Create a free account at pacer.uscourts.gov.
The PACER Case Locator lets you search for any federal bankruptcy case by name, case number, or partial Social Security number, including DeSoto Parish cases filed in the Western District of Louisiana.
Once logged in, use the PACER Case Locator to search by debtor name, the last four digits of a Social Security number, or a case number. You can filter results by court and date range. Document viewing costs $0.10 per page, capped at $3.00 per document. If your total quarterly charges are under $30, PACER waives the fees. For most researchers who do occasional searches, the actual cost is zero.
The McVCIS phone line at 1-866-222-8029 is a free, toll-free alternative for quick case lookups. It runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and does not require a PACER account. The automated system lets you check up to five cases per call and gives you basic details such as chapter type, filing date, and case status. It is a good option when you only need to confirm whether someone filed or whether a case is still open.
You can also visit the Shreveport courthouse at 300 Fannin Street and use the public access terminals there for free. Court staff can help you navigate the system, though they cannot offer legal advice. For certified copies of documents, the fee is $11 per copy.
Bankruptcy Filing Fees and Record Costs in DeSoto Parish
Bankruptcy filing fees are uniform across all federal courts, set by Congress under 28 U.S.C. § 1930. For DeSoto Parish residents filing in Shreveport, the fees are: Chapter 7 at $338, Chapter 13 at $313, Chapter 11 at $1,738, and Chapter 12 at $278. All fees are due at the time of filing and must be paid by cash, money order, or cashier's check.
Low-income Chapter 7 filers can apply to waive the filing fee entirely if their income is at or below 150% of the federal poverty level. Others can request to pay in up to four installments over 120 days. Chapter 13, 11, and 12 filers may arrange installment payment plans with court approval, but full waivers are not available under those chapters. The fee waiver application form is available on the court's website or from the Shreveport clerk's office.
For record access: PACER charges $0.10 per page ($3.00 maximum per document). Certified copies are $11.00 per document. Plain copies cost $0.50 per page. A formal record search by court staff costs $32.00.
What DeSoto Parish Bankruptcy Records Include
Under 11 U.S.C. § 107, all documents filed in a bankruptcy case are public records unless sealed by court order. A DeSoto Parish case file typically includes the petition (showing debtor name, address, chapter, and filing date), schedules of assets and liabilities, a statement of financial affairs, the creditor matrix, income and expense forms, any repayment plan in Chapter 13 cases, and the final discharge order at the end of a completed case.
Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 9037 requires certain personal identifiers to be redacted from all public filings. Full Social Security numbers cannot appear; only the last four digits are allowed. Birthdates must show the year only. Financial account numbers appear as the last four digits. Minor children are identified only by their initials. Attorneys or debtors who fail to follow these rules can face court-imposed sanctions.
Business reorganization cases, particularly Chapter 11, often involve large volumes of documents including detailed financial schedules, plans of reorganization, and disclosure statements. All are publicly available through PACER unless sealed. Sealed records require a motion and court order to access. The vast majority of consumer cases are fully public and viewable without any special process.
Other Resources for DeSoto Parish Bankruptcy Research
Louisiana's eClerks system, authorized under La. R.S. 13:754 and launched in 2015, provides online access to civil court records from Louisiana parish clerks that participate in the statewide system. eClerks does not include federal bankruptcy records, but it is a useful supplement for finding state court judgments, mortgage filings, and property documents in DeSoto Parish. Search eClerks at www.eclerksla.com.
The Louisiana Legislature publishes all state statutes at www.legis.la.gov. For DeSoto Parish bankruptcy filers, Louisiana's exemption laws under La. R.S. 13:3881 are particularly important. Louisiana does not allow debtors to elect federal exemptions; state law exclusively controls what property can be protected from creditors in a bankruptcy. The homestead exemption, vehicle exemption, tools of the trade, and certain retirement and life insurance values are all governed by state statute and apply directly to what a Chapter 7 trustee can liquidate.
Legal aid assistance may be available for DeSoto Parish residents through Northwest Louisiana Legal Services, which provides free civil legal help to those who meet income requirements. The Louisiana State Bar Association's Lawyer Referral Service can help you find a licensed bankruptcy attorney for a low-cost initial consult. The U.S. Trustee Program covers the Western District and monitors bankruptcy administration, accepting referrals regarding fraud or case abuse.
Cities in DeSoto Parish
DeSoto Parish is a rural northwest Louisiana parish with Mansfield as its seat. No cities in DeSoto Parish have a dedicated page on this site.
Nearby Parishes
DeSoto Parish borders several northwest Louisiana parishes. Each has its own records page with court and filing details.