Find Death Records in St. Landry Parish
The St. Landry Parish death index connects researchers and families to death records held at the state and local level. Whether you need a certified death certificate or want to trace a historical entry, this page covers the offices, laws, and steps involved in searching St. Landry Parish death records.
St. Landry Parish Quick Facts
St. Landry Parish Clerk of Court
The St. Landry Parish Clerk of Court is Charles J. "Charlie" Jagneaux. His office, based in Opelousas, serves the 27th Judicial District Court. The clerk's site greets visitors with: "Welcome to the St Landry Parish Clerk of Court." The office description continues: "My staff and I appreciate your visit and hope to be of assistance to you. My office is continuously updating and upgrading in order to better serve the public." The clerk notes further: "I've been able to assemble an outstanding staff of individuals who are intelligent, capable and friendly. We've implemented state-of-the-art technology and the staff is trained to maximize the efficiency of this technology." The clerk also states: "I am proud to say that we are recognized as one of the most advanced clerk of court offices in the state of Louisiana, if not the nation."
For death-related records, the clerk's office is relevant primarily for succession filings. When someone dies in St. Landry Parish and leaves an estate, heirs open a succession in the 27th Judicial District Court. Those records name the deceased, include the date of death, and identify the heirs. This makes them a useful secondary source when you are tracing a death and need to confirm details beyond what the death index provides.
Succession records are public under R.S. 44:1. You can view them at the clerk's office or search online through whatever case search tool the clerk currently offers. The website for the St. Landry Parish Clerk of Court is stlandry.org. The screenshot below shows the clerk's site.
The St. Landry Parish Clerk of Court site at stlandry.org is the starting point for searching court-based death-related records, including succession filings and probate documents from the 27th Judicial District.
The clerk office in Opelousas maintains well-organized records and has invested in modern systems that make searching for cases and requesting copies more straightforward than in many smaller parishes.
| Clerk of Court | Charles J. "Charlie" Jagneaux |
|---|---|
| Office Address | 118 S. Court Street, Opelousas, LA 70570 |
| Mailing Address | PO Box 750, Opelousas, LA 70571 |
| Phone | (337) 942-5602 |
| Fax | (337) 942-4801 |
| Website | stlandry.org |
St. Landry Parish Death Certificates: State Sources
Certified death certificates for St. Landry Parish come from the Louisiana Department of Health. LDH maintains the statewide death index under R.S. 40:40. Every death registered in Louisiana is recorded in this system. The record is created from the death certificate filed by the attending physician or coroner and the funeral home. LDH holds these records and issues certified copies on request.
Under R.S. 40:41, deaths within the last 50 years are not public. Only certain people may get a certified copy. These are the surviving spouse, a parent, an adult child, a sibling, a grandparent, an adult grandchild, an insurance beneficiary with a letter from the insurer, an attorney, and a succession representative or legatee. You will need to show proof of your relationship or legal standing to get the certificate.
To contact LDH, call (504) 593-5100. The office is at 1450 Poydras St Suite 400, New Orleans. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 3:30 PM. You can also use the LDH order page to submit a request online. The state fee is $7.00 per certified copy.
The LDH main vital records page explains the full process in detail. Check ldh.la.gov/vitalrecords before submitting any request to make sure you have the right forms and documents for your situation.
Historical Death Records in St. Landry Parish
St. Landry Parish has a long history. Deaths recorded 50 or more years ago fall under the public access rule in R.S. 40:40. Anyone may request these older records. The Louisiana State Archives holds many historical vital records and offers a free online search tool.
The Louisiana Vital Records Online Index lets you search by name. It shows the year and parish of death for older entries. This is a good place to start before placing a formal request. Once you confirm the record exists, you can contact the State Archives at (225) 922-1000 or through the historical records page. Copies cost $5.00 standard or $10.00 certified.
St. Landry Parish also has deep roots in Acadian, Creole, and Native American communities. Church records, particularly from Catholic parishes in the Opelousas area, can supplement civil death registrations, especially for deaths before the modern state system was established. The State Archives may hold or be able to point you to some of these older records.
What the Death Index Covers for St. Landry Parish
The death index itself is a listing, not a full document. It shows that a death was registered and gives basic identifying information. You use the index to confirm that a death record exists and to find the details you need to order the full certificate. The full certificate is what you actually need for legal, financial, or succession purposes.
A certified death certificate from LDH includes the legal name of the deceased, the date and place of death, the cause and manner of death, the attending physician or coroner, funeral home and disposition details, and information about surviving family members. Courts and agencies in the 27th Judicial District use this document to open successions, settle insurance claims, transfer property, and handle other legal matters that arise after a death.
Under R.S. 40:46, LDH is the official state custodian of death certificates. Only LDH or its authorized agents can issue certified copies. Copies obtained from any other source are not certified and will not be accepted for official purposes.
The succession records at the clerk's office in Opelousas, while not death certificates, can tell you a great deal. They name the deceased, list the heirs, describe the property, and document the court's handling of the estate. These are especially useful for genealogy research and for cases where the death certificate itself is unavailable or still restricted.
Communities in St. Landry Parish
St. Landry Parish includes Opelousas (the parish seat), as well as Eunice, Melville, Washington, and several smaller towns and villages. None of these communities reach the population threshold for a dedicated city page. All death records for communities throughout St. Landry Parish are managed at the state level through LDH, and succession records are filed with the clerk in Opelousas.
Nearby Parishes
St. Landry Parish is in south-central Louisiana. It borders several parishes. If you are not sure which parish a death was registered in, the address of the location where the death occurred is the key factor.