LaSalle Parish Bankruptcy Records Search
LaSalle Parish bankruptcy records are maintained by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Louisiana under the Alexandria Division, and they are publicly accessible through the federal PACER system. The LaSalle Parish Clerk of Court in Jena holds state-level court records, including civil filings, property conveyances, and mortgage records that may be relevant when researching a bankruptcy case connected to LaSalle Parish property or a local debtor.
LaSalle Parish Quick Facts
Federal Bankruptcy Court for LaSalle Parish
LaSalle Parish is assigned to the Alexandria Division of the Western District of Louisiana. The clerk's office for this division is at the Hemenway Building, 300 Jackson Street, Suite 116, Alexandria, LA 71301. You can reach the office by phone at (318) 445-1890 or toll-free at (866) 356-5221. This is the filing location for all LaSalle Parish bankruptcy cases.
The Western District court's website at lawb.uscourts.gov has local rules, downloadable forms, filing instructions, and case search tools. Both attorneys and self-represented debtors can find what they need there before coming to the Alexandria courthouse. Electronic filings by attorneys go through the CM/ECF system.
| Filing Office | Hemenway Building, 300 Jackson St, Suite 116, Alexandria LA 71301 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (318) 445-1890 |
| Toll-Free | (866) 356-5221 |
| Website | U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Louisiana |
The Western District court site is the main resource for LaSalle Parish bankruptcy filings. You can check local rules, find current forms, and look up case information there before filing or traveling to the Alexandria courthouse.
Filing fees are set by 28 U.S.C. § 1930 and apply across all Western District divisions. Chapter 7 costs $338. Chapter 13 is $313. Chapter 11 runs $1,738. Chapter 12 is $278. Fee waivers may be available at the time of filing for debtors whose income falls below 150% of the federal poverty level.
Searching LaSalle Parish Bankruptcy Records Through PACER
PACER is the public access system for federal court records, including LaSalle Parish bankruptcy cases. You can register and search at pacer.uscourts.gov by debtor name, case number, or the last four digits of a Social Security number. PACER charges $0.10 per page. If your quarterly charges stay under $30, the fee is waived automatically.
The PACER Case Locator at pacer.uscourts.gov/find-a-case searches all federal courts at once. It is the right tool when you have only a debtor name and do not know which court or division handled the case. Once you find the LaSalle Parish record, you click through to the Western District docket to access the full case file.
Most bankruptcy records are public by law under 11 U.S.C. § 107. The petition, all attached schedules, motions, orders, and the final discharge or dismissal are accessible to anyone who searches. Private data is protected under Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9037. Filers must redact Social Security numbers to the last four digits, account numbers to the last four digits, birth years to the year only, and minor children's names to initials before submitting anything to the court.
PACER at pacer.uscourts.gov is the main way to search LaSalle Parish bankruptcy records online. Registration is free, costs are low, and the system covers all federal courts, so you can find any case even if you are not sure which division handled it.
The McVCIS voice line at 1-866-222-8029 gives basic case data 24 hours a day without needing a PACER account. It provides up to five records per call, including the filing date, chapter type, and current status. It won't deliver documents, but it's a fast first check. Fed. R. Bankr. P. 5003 requires the clerk to maintain a public docket for every case, and that docket is what you access through PACER.
LaSalle Parish Clerk of Court
Steve Andrews serves as the LaSalle Parish Clerk of Court. The office is at 1050 Courthouse Street, Jena, LA 71342. The mailing address is P.O. Box 1316, Jena, LA 71342. You can call the office at (318) 992-2158 or fax at (318) 992-2157.
The LaSalle Parish Clerk maintains state court records for the parish. These include civil filings, property conveyances, mortgages, and other documents handled at the parish level. The clerk does not keep federal bankruptcy records. However, when a LaSalle Parish debtor files for bankruptcy, related state-level actions may show up in the clerk's records. Lien releases, real estate transfers following an asset sale, or civil judgments tied to a bankruptcy matter often get filed at the parish clerk level as well.
Checking both the PACER federal system and the parish clerk's records gives you a more complete picture of any debtor's financial situation and property history. The clerk's records can go back many decades and cover property changes that PACER won't show.
The LaSalle Parish Clerk's website is at lasalleclerk.com. Note that the site has a known SSL certificate issue, so your browser may show a warning when you visit. The office can be reached directly by phone for information about records, fees, or office hours. Standard copy fees follow Louisiana rates: $0.50 per page for regular copies, $11 for certified copies, and $32 for a manual search by staff.
Bankruptcy Chapter Types Filed in LaSalle Parish
LaSalle Parish debtors file all main chapter types with the Western District. Chapter 7 is the most common for individuals. It clears most unsecured debts through a liquidation process where a trustee reviews non-exempt assets. Most individual Chapter 7 cases are no-asset cases that end quickly with a discharge. The filing fee is $338.
Chapter 13 lets individuals with regular income keep their property and pay back creditors over three to five years. It's used most often to save a home from foreclosure or cure past-due vehicle payments. The $313 filing fee applies at the start of the case. A bankruptcy judge in the Alexandria Division must confirm the repayment plan before it can take effect.
Chapter 11 handles business reorganizations and complex individual cases with very high debt. The filing fee is $1,738. Chapter 12 was designed specifically for family farmers and commercial fishermen who have regular seasonal income. That fee is $278. All filers under any chapter type must complete credit counseling from an approved agency within 180 days before filing, per Title 11 of the United States Code.
Fed. R. Bankr. P. 5003 requires the clerk to docket every event in each case from filing through final disposition. That docket is the public record. PACER users access it directly. The rule applies equally in LaSalle Parish as in every other parish across Louisiana's three federal districts.
- Chapter 7: $338, liquidation and discharge of most unsecured debts
- Chapter 13: $313, court-confirmed repayment plan over 3-5 years
- Chapter 11: $1,738, reorganization for businesses or complex individuals
- Chapter 12: $278, for family farmers and commercial fishermen
What LaSalle Parish Bankruptcy Case Files Include
A LaSalle Parish bankruptcy file opens with the voluntary petition. The petition names the debtor, states the chapter type, lists the address, and shows the date the case was filed. Schedules attached to the petition break down all assets and liabilities, income and expenses, and any contracts or leases. These documents are public under 11 U.S.C. § 107 unless the court orders specific items sealed.
The docket sheet tracks every step of the case from start to end. Filings, hearing dates, trustee reports, and judge's orders all appear there. You access the docket and attached documents through PACER. Most documents cost $0.10 per page. The first page of any document is free to view before you pay, so you can confirm you have the right file.
Private data is protected by Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9037. Filers must redact full Social Security numbers, complete account numbers, full birth dates, and the names of minor children before submitting any document. If a filing comes in without proper redaction, the court has authority to restrict public access to that document to protect the debtor.
Cities in LaSalle Parish
No cities in LaSalle Parish have a dedicated page on this site. Jena is the parish seat. LaSalle Parish residents file all bankruptcy cases through the Western District Alexandria Division courthouse at 300 Jackson Street in Alexandria.
Nearby Parishes
LaSalle Parish borders several central Louisiana parishes. Each has its own clerk of court for state records. Federal bankruptcy cases in these parishes also go through the Western District of Louisiana.