Assumption Parish Probate Records

Assumption Parish probate court records document every succession case filed in Napoleonville since 1841, with online access available for filings from 1979 to the present through the clerk's ePortal. The Clerk of Court in Napoleonville maintains these files and provides access in person, by mail, and online. You can search by party name, case number, or date range to find wills, estate inventories, succession petitions, and final judgments tied to estates in Assumption Parish. This page explains how to search, what you will find, and how Louisiana succession law applies here.

Assumption Parish Clerk of Court

Hon. Erin Hebert is the Assumption Parish Clerk of Court and the official keeper of all probate and succession records in the parish. The office is at 4809 Highway 1 in Napoleonville. You can call at (985) 369-6653, fax at (985) 369-2032, or email Ehebert@assumptionclerk.com. The clerk's website at assumptionclerk.com has additional contact details and access to the ePortal for online record searches.

The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. It closes on state and federal holidays. Assumption Parish is part of the 23rd Judicial District Court, which also serves Ascension and St. James Parishes. All succession cases for people who lived in Assumption Parish are filed in Napoleonville. If you plan to visit and need an older file, call ahead. Records from before 1979 are not digitized and must be pulled from physical storage, which can take time.

How to Search Assumption Parish Probate Court Records

You have three ways to access Assumption Parish probate court records: visit the Napoleonville office in person, send a mail request, or use the online ePortal at assumptionclerk.com. Each gives access to the same records, though online access covers only 1979 to the present.

The in-person option is free to search. Public terminals at the courthouse let you look up cases before ordering copies. Staff can walk you through the search if you are not sure where to start. When you search, you can look up by the name of the deceased, a case number, or a date range. Filtering by case type narrows results to succession filings only, which speeds things up when you already know roughly when a case was opened.

Mail requests go to P.O. Drawer 249, Napoleonville, LA 70390. Include the full name of the deceased, the approximate date of death or year, and the specific documents you need. The office will confirm whether a record exists and provide a cost estimate before processing the request. Response times vary. Call (985) 369-6653 to follow up. For records from before 1979, a mail request or in-person visit is the only option since those files are not yet online.

Assumption Parish sits in the 23rd Judicial District Court along with Ascension and St. James. All succession cases for Assumption residents go through the Napoleonville clerk, regardless of where assets are located in the state.

Online Access Through the Clerk's ePortal

The Assumption Parish Clerk ePortal is available at assumptionclerk.com. This portal provides remote access to court records without traveling to Napoleonville. Probate and succession records from 1979 onward are searchable through the portal. You can look up cases by name, case number, or date range.

Document images are available for records that have been scanned. If you find a case but need a certified copy of a specific document, contact the office directly to order it. Certified copies cannot be downloaded from the portal. For general research on modern records, though, the ePortal is the fastest starting point.

Older files from before 1979 exist only in physical form at the Napoleonville courthouse. These include some of the oldest probate records going back to 1841. The Louisiana Clerks of Court Association lists contact information for all 64 parish clerks and is useful if a succession crossed into neighboring parishes. The statewide ClerkConnect platform also covers many Louisiana parishes through one login, though Assumption Parish uses its own separate ePortal.

What Assumption Parish Probate Court Records Contain

A probate file in Assumption Parish starts with a petition to open the succession. This document names the deceased, lists heirs, describes the estate, and asks the court to open the proceeding. From there, the file grows as the case moves through the 23rd JDC.

You will typically find an inventory of assets and debts, an accounting of how funds were managed during administration, court orders, and a final judgment of possession that formally transfers the estate's property to the heirs. This last document is critical for closing bank accounts, changing vehicle titles, and recording real estate deeds in the heirs' names. For real property, the judgment must also be recorded in the conveyance index to notify the public of the ownership change.

Wills are part of the probate record too. Louisiana recognizes two main types. An olographic will is entirely handwritten and signed by the testator. A notarial will is signed in front of a notary and two witnesses. Both types can be filed with the court and become public record once a succession opens. Wills filed before a succession is opened are also kept by the clerk.

Under R.S. 44:1, all probate court records are public documents. You do not need to prove any relationship to the deceased or give a reason for your request. Anyone can view these files. Other records in the Assumption Parish Clerk's office include marriage licenses back to 1800 and land records back to 1788, which can add useful context for estate research.

Louisiana Succession Law in Assumption Parish

Louisiana succession law differs from every other state. It comes from French and Spanish civil law, not the English common law most states use. Civil Code Art. 871 says succession opens the moment a person dies. Filing then takes place in the parish of the deceased's domicile. Civil Code Art. 873 confirms that, so Assumption Parish handles all cases for people who lived here when they died.

Forced heirship is one of the most distinctive features of Louisiana law. Under Civil Code Art. 1493, children under 24 and children of any age who are permanently disabled have a legal right to a set portion of the estate called the legitime. A will cannot remove this right. If a will tries to cut out a forced heir, that heir can challenge it in court. Cases involving forced heirship can be more complex and produce larger files with more court documents.

Community property rules under Civil Code Art. 876 also shape how Assumption Parish estates are handled. Louisiana is a community property state. Assets a married couple acquires together generally belong half to each spouse. When one spouse dies, their half passes through succession while the surviving spouse keeps their own half automatically. Separate property, meaning things owned before marriage or received as a gift or inheritance, goes through different rules.

For smaller estates, R.S. 9:1555 allows heirs to use a small succession affidavit if the net estate value is $125,000 or less and at least 90 days have passed since the death. This skips the full court proceeding and saves time and cost. Not all estates qualify. A notary or attorney familiar with Louisiana law should review the situation before choosing this path.

Copy Fees for Assumption Parish Probate Records

The Assumption Parish Clerk charges $1 per page for regular copies. Certified copies cost $10 plus the per-page copy fee. Certified copies carry the clerk's official stamp and are required for many legal and financial transactions.

Call (985) 369-6653 before sending a mail request to get a cost estimate. The office accepts payment in person. For mail orders, ask the clerk's staff about accepted payment methods. Fees can change, so confirming current rates in advance avoids delays.

Historical Records in Assumption Parish

Assumption Parish is one of Louisiana's 19 original parishes, created in 1807. The Clerk's office holds probate records going back to 1841. Marriage records go back to 1800, and land records extend to 1788. These older records are not available online and must be accessed in person during office hours.

For records that predate the clerk's collection, or for genealogical research that spans multiple parishes, the Louisiana State Archives in Baton Rouge is a strong resource. The Archives holds historical court records, vital records, and microfilm collections from across Louisiana. Staff there can assist with research requests by mail or in person.

Because Assumption Parish is one of the oldest in the state, its record depth is notable. Researchers tracing family lines, property ownership, or estate distributions from the early 1800s will find the Napoleonville courthouse a necessary stop. Call ahead to make sure older files are ready before you make the trip.

Additional Resources for Assumption Parish Succession Cases

The Louisiana Supreme Court website has general information about the state court system, including guides for people who want to understand the succession process. The site also links to self-help resources for those handling an estate without an attorney.

The Louisiana Clerks of Court Association publishes a directory of all parish clerks and can help if you need to contact multiple offices. The eClerks LA platform covers electronic filing and record access across multiple Louisiana parishes and is worth checking if your research spans more than one parish. Legal aid organizations serve the south-central Louisiana region and may be able to help if you cannot afford a private attorney. Ask the clerk's office staff to point you toward local referrals.

Nearby Parishes

These parishes neighbor Assumption and each maintains its own probate court records through the local clerk of court.