Beauregard Parish Clerk of Court Office
The Beauregard Parish Clerk of Court is a unified Louisiana clerk office for District Court records and several public-record functions. Brian S. Lestage is the Clerk of Court. His official biography says he was elected for the term beginning July 1, 2008, after practicing law for about twenty years with a focus on civil and real-estate matters. That biography also explains a key local records fact: early in his term, the clerk received a Louisiana Supreme Court grant, began putting records online, and oversaw the electronic imaging and preservation of more than one million documents.
The clerk's office handles civil records, criminal records, recording and land records, marriage licenses, birth and death certificate applications, election material, jury-pool support, and related copy or certification work. The online record tools are useful, but the clerk warns that online records are a convenience. Official public records for Beauregard Parish are the records provided through the clerk's office.
The official clerk homepage shows the office navigation used for court, recording, marriage, jury, and historical records.
The clerk homepage is the safest starting point when a Beauregard Parish Clerk of Court record could fall under more than one department.
Beauregard Parish Clerk of Court
Clerk: Brian S. Lestage
200 West Second Street
DeRidder, LA 70634
Mail: P.O. Box 100, DeRidder, LA 70634
337-463-8595
Civil fax: 337-462-3916
Criminal-records fax: 337-202-7834
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Beauregard Parish Clerk Record Duties
The clerk's Civil Department opens and indexes new suits, processes pleadings, files documents into the record, collects civil fees, keeps minutes of civil court while court is in session, transcribes court matters into minute books, receives trial exhibits, and administers oaths. Those duties matter for record users because the civil file may include both the papers filed by parties and the minute entries created in court.
The Criminal Department performs similar work for criminal cases. It opens and indexes new criminal cases, processes pleadings, keeps criminal minutes, receives evidence or exhibits admitted at trial, and handles copy and certification requests. The Recording Department covers conveyance, mortgage, cancellation, marriage, vital-record, and land-record services.
The clerk's Civil Department page describes civil records, minute work, copies, certification, and search fees.
That civil page is important for Beauregard Parish court records because many divorce, custody, succession, interdiction, name-change, and ordinary civil filings start in the civil department.
- Civil suits, family filings, successions, interdictions, tutorships, adoptions, and name changes are filed through the clerk for the District Court.
- Criminal cases are opened and indexed after charges are filed in the 36th Judicial District Court.
- Marriage licenses and recording books are handled through the clerk's recording functions.
- Certified copies come from the clerk, not from a portal printout.
- Clerk staff may explain office procedure, but they cannot give legal advice.
Search Beauregard Parish Clerk Records
Online Beauregard Parish Clerk of Court access is divided by record type. The clerk's online-records page routes civil and criminal case searches to ClerkConnect. It routes other record searches to COTT eSearch. The clerk also says the office offers online conveyance, mortgage, civil, and criminal index records. Full search and image access can require a subscription or account, so a failed online search does not always mean the record does not exist.
Coverage varies by record book. The clerk's online materials state broad historical access for conveyance, marriage, and succession records, while COTT certified dates captured in research showed narrower certified-date ranges for some books. Use the portal as a starting point, then call or visit the clerk for older records, unreleased records, official copies, and records that are not indexed online.
| Portal or Channel | Records | Access Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Clerk online records page | Routes to ClerkConnect and COTT | Official local starting page. |
| ClerkConnect | Civil and criminal case search | Subscription and login required for full search. |
| COTT eSearch | Conveyance, mortgage, marriage, succession/probate, and recording-style books | Account required; certified dates can be checked before search. |
| eVault / eClerks LA | Statewide participating land-record access | Useful for some recorded instruments, not a full case-file system. |
| Clerk counter, mail, phone, or fax | Official copies, older files, restricted review, and unclear results | Use office procedures and copy fees. |
Request Beauregard Parish Certified Copies
Certified copies are used when a person needs a court or public-record document with official certification. A portal image or printed search result is not the same thing. The clerk's online disclaimer says only the Official Public Records of Beauregard Parish provided in the clerk's office should be referenced as official public records.
Requesters should identify the record type first. A civil pleading, criminal minute entry, recorded judgment of possession, marriage record, or succession filing may sit in a different book or department. Case numbers help, but names, approximate dates, and document type can still help staff locate the right file.
- Find the record type and the likely office route: civil, criminal, recording, marriage, or succession/probate.
- Search ClerkConnect or COTT if the record is likely online and an account is available.
- Contact the clerk by phone, mail, fax, or in person if the online result is missing or an official copy is needed.
- Ask for a plain copy or certified copy, then confirm the per-page and certification fee before payment.
- Use the certified copy from the clerk for court, agency, property, or legal use.
The clerk office-hours page gives the address, phone, fax, and operating hours for in-person requests.
Those office details are especially useful when a Beauregard Parish Clerk of Court search reaches a portal limit and must shift to a counter, mail, or fax request.
Beauregard Parish Record Request Fields
The research did not locate a single universal clerk request form for every record type. The practical request fields come from the clerk's department descriptions and portal requirements. A good request gives staff enough information to distinguish one case, book, or document from another. That is important in Beauregard Parish because civil, criminal, succession, marriage, conveyance, and mortgage records use different indexes and coverage dates.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Case number or book/page | No, but helpful | Use when known; online case-number formats are not public without portal login. |
| Party names | Yes | Use plaintiff/defendant, State/defendant, spouse names, decedent, or grantor/grantee as applicable. |
| Record type | Yes | Examples include civil pleading, criminal minute, marriage record, succession, conveyance, or mortgage. |
| Approximate filing or record date | Helpful | Important when portal coverage varies by book and date. |
| Copy type | Yes | State whether a plain copy or certified copy is needed. |
| Delivery method | Yes | Counter pickup, mail, fax, or other clerk-approved route. |
Beauregard Parish Clerk Fees
Clerk fees depend on the department and service. Civil and criminal copies use a different fee line than recording copies. Search and subscription fees also apply in some situations. Confirm the fee before mailing payment because filings, large recordings, and certification requests can change the total.
| Service or Item | Amount or Note |
|---|---|
| Civil or criminal copy | $1.00 per page |
| Civil or criminal certification | $5.00 certification plus copy fee |
| Civil 10-year individual name search | $15.00 per name |
| Civil filing first page | $6.00 |
| Civil filing each later page | $4.00 |
| Civil, probate, or adoption indexing | $2.00 each name |
| Minute entry | $5.00 |
| Extract of minute | $10.00 each |
| Online daily subscription | $20.00 |
| Online monthly subscription | $100.00 |
| COTT annual subscription | $1,200.00 |
| Recording certified copy | $10 plus copy fee |
| Recording plain copy | $2 per page |
Clerk Forms and Local Services
The clerk and 36th Judicial District Court publish several practical form and service routes. Marriage applicants use the clerk's marriage questionnaire. Expungement filers are directed to state expungement forms and must file a separate motion for each arrest date. The court's forms page links guided divorce forms for Louisiana Civil Code article 102 and 103 divorces, adult name-change material, and change-of-address forms.
The Meet Your Clerk page documents Brian S. Lestage's background and the office's records technology work.
That biography gives context for why Beauregard Parish has online record access but still treats office-issued records as the official source.
- Marriage license requirements for in-person license applications.
- Criminal expungement instructions for forms, money orders, and processing notes.
- 36th JDC orders and forms for guided divorce, adult name change, and address-change resources.
- Jury pool information for reporting and jury-duty rules.
Mail, Fax, and E-Recording
Beauregard Parish Clerk of Court records can be requested through more than one channel. Mail goes to P.O. Box 100, DeRidder, LA 70634. The civil fax is 337-462-3916, and the criminal-records fax is 337-202-7834. Phone requests begin at 337-463-8595. The office is also the in-person route for official public records, certified copies, older records, and documents that do not appear in the online portal.
For recording work, the clerk's e-recording page names CSC at 855-200-1150 and eRecording Partners Network at 1-888-325-3365. E-recording is a recording channel, not a full court-case search. It fits conveyance, mortgage, and recording transactions rather than ordinary civil or criminal case research.
The clerk historical Beauregard page adds local context about the parish's creation and older public records.
Historical context helps explain why some older records may sit under prior court districts or older record books even when current access runs through the 36th Judicial District and the clerk.
The clerk jury pool page is another official clerk service route connected to court records and jury administration.
Jury records are not ordinary case files, but the jury page shows the clerk's role in supporting court operations beyond copy requests.
Note: Clerk staff can explain office procedures, copy fees, and department routes, but they cannot prepare pleadings or give legal advice.