The City Archives holds the records of Orleans Parish civil courts, 1804-1926. These materials have a variety of uses for the building researcher. Often in tracing the chain-of- title you will find reference to a transfer involving a court proceeding. In some cases the chain may actually be broken by a succession or sheriff’s sale. It is then necessary to go to the court record in order to regain the proper track. The information in the record will, in most cases, provide a fresh COB number or other reference to enable you to get back into the search.

Court documents can be very useful even when the chain-of-title is not broken. In a succession, for example, there may be an inventory of the deceased’s possessions, including a room-by-room listing of the furnishings of his house and/or the contents of his business establishment. From such a record you can gain invaluable insight into the original use of the structure.

Court Records that are not microfilmed must be requested in advance of your visit. Civil Court records after 1926 are still in the custody of the Clerk of Civil District Court.