Search St. James Parish Marriage Records
St. James Parish marriage records are kept by the Clerk of Court in Convent, where the 23rd Judicial District Court serves the parish. Whether you are applying for a marriage license, searching for a historical marriage record, or requesting a certified copy, the Clerk of Court at the parish courthouse is where to go. eClerksLA also provides online search access for St. James Parish marriage records.
St. James Parish Quick Facts
St. James Parish Clerk of Court
The Clerk of Court for St. James Parish is Shane LeBlanc. His office at the parish courthouse in Convent issues all marriage licenses and keeps the official record of marriages in the parish. The office is located at 5800 LA Highway 44 in Convent. Mail can be sent to P.O. Box 63, Convent, LA 70723.
You can reach the office at two phone numbers: (225) 562-2270 and (225) 562-7496. The office email is stjamesclerk@stjamesparishla.gov. Because St. James is a smaller parish with limited online resources compared to larger metropolitan areas, calling ahead is a good idea before making the drive to Convent. Staff can confirm current hours, fees, and what documents you need to bring for a marriage license application.
The 23rd Judicial District Court handles legal matters for St. James Parish. The courthouse at 5800 LA 44 serves as the center for court filings, clerk services, and marriage record access. All marriage records for St. James Parish, whether old or new, are maintained at this location.
| Office Address | 5800 LA Highway 44, Convent, LA 70723 |
|---|---|
| Mailing Address | P.O. Box 63, Convent, LA 70723 |
| Phone | (225) 562-2270 / (225) 562-7496 |
| stjamesclerk@stjamesparishla.gov | |
| Clerk | Shane LeBlanc |
| Judicial District | 23rd Judicial District |
St. James Parish Marriage License Process
Both parties must go to the Clerk of Court in Convent in person to apply. You cannot send someone else. Both people must appear at the same time and bring all required documents. Applications with only one party present will not be processed.
Under Louisiana law at R.S. 9:222, a marriage license issued in any Louisiana parish is valid statewide. If you live in another parish but want to get your license in St. James Parish, that is allowed. The license remains valid for 30 days from the issue date. If the ceremony does not happen within those 30 days, you must apply again. There is no extension option.
A 72-hour waiting period begins when the license is issued. Under R.S. 9:241, the ceremony cannot take place until those 72 hours have passed. A judge may waive this wait in specific circumstances, but that is not common. Build the waiting period into your schedule so you do not end up with the ceremony date too close to the application date.
Contact the office at (225) 562-2270 to ask about the current license fee before your visit. Fees in Louisiana parishes are set by law and typically consistent, but confirming in advance is always a good idea. Pay at the time of application. Most clerk offices accept cash, check, or money order.
Note: Your St. James Parish marriage license is valid only for ceremonies taking place in Louisiana.
Documents Required for St. James Marriage Records Applications
Bring everything the clerk needs on your first visit. Missing a document means coming back. Both applicants must prepare their own set of paperwork before the trip to Convent.
Each person must bring a valid government-issued photo ID. A driver's license, state ID card, or passport is accepted. You also need a certified birth certificate, not a photocopy. Your Social Security number is required. The clerk also needs the names and birthplaces of both your parents, with your mother's maiden name included. These details are part of the official license record.
If either applicant was previously married, proof that the prior marriage ended is required. A certified copy of a divorce decree or a death certificate for a former spouse satisfies this. Louisiana law requires this documentation before a new license can be processed. Do not assume the clerk will skip this step, even if the divorce was finalized many years ago.
Search St. James Parish Marriage Records Online
St. James Parish marriage records are accessible online through eClerksLA, Louisiana's statewide clerk of court records portal. You can search by name, date range, or record type without traveling to the courthouse in Convent. eClerksLA covers participating parishes across Louisiana and is available at all hours.
The eClerksLA portal above is where you can search St. James Parish marriage records by name or date. It provides index access to records from participating Louisiana parishes without requiring a courthouse visit.
St. James Parish has limited online resources through its own clerk's office. For general parish contact information, the Louisiana state directory page for St. James Parish provides useful links and contact details. Start there if you are not sure who to contact for a particular record type.
The Louisiana state directory page for St. James Parish shown above lists official contacts for the parish, including the Clerk of Court in Convent who maintains all marriage records.
For certified copies of any marriage record from St. James Parish, you must contact the Clerk of Court directly. Online portals give you informational access only. The clerk's office in Convent is the only source for certified copies that carry legal weight.
Louisiana Marriage Records Resources
Beyond the St. James Parish Clerk of Court, several state-level tools are useful for searching marriage records, particularly for older documents or cross-parish research.
The Louisiana Clerks Remote Access Authority (LCRAA) portal gives online access to court records from parish clerks across Louisiana. Marriage license indexes from St. James Parish may appear through this system. It can help if you are searching across multiple parishes or are not sure which parish holds the record.
The Louisiana State Archives holds historical vital records and marriage documents from parishes throughout the state. For older St. James Parish records, the archives may have materials that the local clerk's office no longer retains. Their collection covers records going back into the 1800s for many parishes.
The Louisiana State Archives shown above holds historical marriage records from St. James Parish and other parishes across the state, including documents that may go back to the 1800s.
The Louisiana Department of Health issues certified marriage certificates for events recorded after 1946. A certificate from the health department is a brief document confirming the marriage. For the full record with all application details, contact the St. James Parish Clerk of Court instead.
Note: For detailed marriage license records showing all applicant information, the Clerk of Court in Convent is always the right source over the state health department.
Communities in St. James Parish
St. James Parish includes communities along the River Road between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, such as Convent, Lutcher, Gramercy, Vacherie, and Paulina. All marriage license applications for residents of St. James Parish are filed with the Clerk of Court in Convent.
Nearby Parishes
St. James Parish is bordered by several parishes along the Mississippi River corridor. Each neighboring parish has its own Clerk of Court for marriage records. Use the location of the marriage to determine the right office.