The clerk of court serves as the parish’s ex-officio recorder of mortgages and register of conveyances, and, as such, is responsible for recording all real estate transfers, mortgages, liens, judgments, releases, etc. affecting immovable property located in Plaquemines Parish. Additionally, the office records military discharges, medical certificates, corporation charters, partnerships, business trade name affidavits, and documents concerning oil and gas or other mineral leases, interest transfers, and liens. The office also records documents relative to moveable property under the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC).

The clerk of court cancels mortgages, liens, judgments, etc. upon production of a properly executed release document, and provides assistance for cancellation of property bonds and bond forfeitures and the cancellation of inscriptions by prescription.

Forms

Forms are offered as a convenience and to save individuals a trip to one of our facilities, and are intended only as samples and for use by qualified notaries or attorneys only, who can best confirm the effectiveness or legality of the forms’ language. The clerk of court’s office is prohibited by law from providing legal advice or assistance with the completion of any of these or other forms. All documents must be submitted with the appropriate fees. Consult the Fees page for the applicable charges. These forms may be retyped to suit specific circumstances; however, all of the language in them and the information requested in the blanks, is generally required.

Additional forms may be found on the Court’s self-help site: www.25thjdcselfhelp.com.

FEES

Recording fees are established by the Louisiana Legislature in accordance with La. R.S. 13:844 (last revised 2017). The clerk of court’s office does not receive ad valorem taxes. Its operations are entirely funded by the collection of fees for services it provides. A schedule of recording fees is available on the Fees page of this web site.

To pay for copies or mortgage or UCC searches with credit card via e-mail, complete this Service Request/Credit Card Authorization Form and e-mail to: info@clerk25th.com.

Preservation

The clerk of court is tasked with the maintenance and preservation of all documents filed with the office.  All documents are digitally imaged after initial recordation, and those images are preserved with multiple copies of archival-quality microfilm or blu-ray non-rewriteable media using procedures and processes approved by the Louisiana Secretary of State.

Preserving the public record in redundant fashion to prevent destruction is a concern of the clerk of court, given the parish's history with a devastating fire in 2002 and the vulnerability to hurricanes. As well, digital preservation drastically reduces the threat of theft or malicious intent.

The clerk’s data are backed up throughout the workday onto live servers by the office’s software systems contractor, who also backs up that data to another secure location. Microfilm that exists for older records, and non-rewritable media for newer records, is maintained in duplicate, one copy stored at the clerk of court’s office for general use, and another copy with the Louisiana State Archives in Baton Rouge.

There are numerous ambitious digitization projects underway at the clerk of court's office. The projects add value to the clerk of court's e-Search subscription service as well as further protects the permanent records and history of Plaquemines Parish.

e-RECORDING SERVICE

The clerk of court accepts e-recording submissions from four third-party vendors (below). These services ensure prompt, secure delivery and faster recording of documents. There are no additional charges (to the clerk) for e-Recording service, and filers do not need to follow up with an original document. Filers typically receive return certified copies and receipt within an hour of submission. The research and development needed to provide this service was performed without expenditure of public funds.

• No additional charge (to the clerk of court) for e-Recording
• No follow-up with original document
• 30% of instruments e-recorded in 2020
• Receive certified true copies via e-mail
• Receive receipts via e-mail
• Research and development performed without tax dollars