About St. Martin Parish
St. Martin Parish, Louisiana (officially a parish, not a parish, as Louisiana uses the parish system) is located in the south-central part of the state along the Atchafalaya Basin, covering approximately 740 square miles with a population of around 52,000 residents. The parish has two seats of government: St. Martinville, the cultural and historical seat, and Breaux Bridge, which is a secondary administrative center. the parish is divided by the Atchafalaya River, creating distinct East and West St Martin communities.
The parish is renowned as the heart of Cajun and Creole culture, with St. Martinville known as the 'Mother City of Acadiana' and home to the Evangeline Oak and Acadian Memorial. Breaux Bridge proudly holds the title of 'Crawfish Capital of the World.' Major landmarks include Lake Martin, one of Louisiana's most pristine cypress-tupelo swamps, and the Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge.
The St. Martin Parish Clerk of Court, located at 415 S. Main Street in St.
Martinville (70582), maintains court records, mortgages, conveyances, and vital records. The St. Martin Parish Assessor's Office, with locations in both St.
Martinville (337-394-2210) and Breaux Bridge, handles property assessments and tax roll maintenance. The parish's economy traditionally revolves around agriculture, oil and gas, and increasingly tourism related to its rich cultural heritage, Cajun cuisine, and natural beauty along the Atchafalaya Basin.
Sheriff, Police & Law Enforcement
Sheriff & Law Enforcement
The St. It patrols the unincorporated areas, manages the parish jail, processes arrests, and maintains criminal records. The office is known for its community outreach programs and initiatives meant to reducing crime and improving public safety. Martin Parish.
Police Departments
In addition to the St. Martinville Police Department. Each city department handles policing within its respective municipal boundaries, focusing on local ordinances and community policing efforts.
Law Enforcement & Arrests
The St. Martinville, LA 70582 (phone: 337-394-3071), is the primary law enforcement agency for unincorporated areas of the parish and operates St Martin Parish Correctional Center. Inmate lookup for St Martin Parish jail can be conducted through the Sheriff's Office website or by calling the detention center directly at 337-394-3071.
- Martinville Police Department (337-394-5611) serves the parish seat, and the Breaux Bridge Police Department (337-332-2186) provides law enforcement for that parish.
- Citizens may request arrest records directly from the Sheriff's Office or municipal police departments, though fees for copying and certification may apply.
- Booking photos are typically available through the jail's inmate lookup system or by submitting a public records request.
- Processing times for records requests typically range from 3-10 business days depending on the volume and complexity of the request.
Criminal, Arrest & Jail Records
Criminal Records
Criminal records in St Martin County, LA are maintained by local law enforcement agencies and the court system. Background checks are typically obtained through state-level repositories or authorized vendors. For an authoritative source, see Records Unit | Martin County Sheriff's Office, FL.
Arrest Records
Arrest records in St Martin County, LA are public under most state public-records laws unless sealed or expunged by a court. They are maintained by the arresting agency, primarily the County Sheriff's Office and municipal police departments.
Jail & Inmate Records
The St Martin County jail is operated by the County Sheriff's Office and houses pretrial detainees and short-sentence inmates. Inmate locator tools allow public searches by name or booking number.
- Look up current inmates and booking information at Saint Martin Parish Jail Roster Lookup, LA, Inmate Search.
- Sheriff's Office: St. Martin Parish - Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections.
- The bond and bail process allows release of detainees under conditions set by the court; inquiries about recently arrested individuals can be directed to the jail's administrative office.
Courts & Case Records
St. Martin Parish court system includes the 16th Judicial District Court, which handles felony criminal cases, civil matters over $10,000, family law, and succession (probate) matters. The 16th Judicial District Court Clerk's office is located at 415 S. Main Street, St. Martinville, LA 70582 (337-394-2210), and maintains all district court records. The Clerk of Court also is the ex-officio recorder of conveyances and mortgages. Court dockets and case information can be accessed through the Louisiana Supreme Court's website at lasc.org or by visiting the Clerk's office in person. St.
- Martinville City Court (337-394-2233) and Breaux Bridge City Court (337-332-8320), which handle misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, city ordinance violations, and civil matters under $50,000.
- The Clerk of Court charges fees for certified copies ($5-10 per document) and research time.
- Online access to some case information is available through the Louisiana Supreme Court's public access portal, though full document retrieval typically requires in-person or mail requests.
Property & Public Records
The St. Martin Parish Clerk of Court is the parish Recorder of Conveyances and maintains all property records including deeds, mortgages, liens, judgments, UCC filings, plat maps, and other instruments affecting immovable property. The main recording office is located at 415 S. Main Street, St. Martinville, LA 70582 (337-394-2210), with public access hours Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Property conveyance records dating back to the early 1800s are indexed and available for public inspection under Louisiana Revised Statutes 44:1 et seq.
- The Clerk's office provides an online property records search through a subscription-based system, though basic index searches may be available without charge at the courthouse.
- Recording fees for documents vary by page count and document type, typically starting at $125 for the first page and $25 for each additional page for standard conveyances.
- Certified copies of recorded documents can be obtained from the Clerk of Court for $5-10 per document plus $1 per page.
The St. Martin Parish Assessor's Office, with locations in St. Martinville (337-394-2210) and Breaux Bridge (337-332-2520), maintains property tax assessment records, ownership information, and property characteristics.
The Assessor provides an online parcel search and GIS mapping system accessible through the parish website, allowing citizens to view property boundaries, assessed values, tax districts, and ownership information without charge. The parish also maintains detailed plat and survey records, subdivision maps, and historical land records dating to Spanish and French colonial periods, reflecting St Martin's unique legal heritage under the Napoleonic Code tradition.
Vital Records
Vital records for St. Martin Parish are maintained by the St. Martin Parish Clerk of Court at 415 S. Main Street, St. Martinville, LA 70582 (337-394-2210). Birth certificates for births occurring in St Martin Parish can be obtained from the Clerk's office, with certified copies costing $15 for the first copy and $7 for each additional copy ordered simultaneously. The applicant must provide valid government-issued photo identification and proof of relationship or legal interest.
- Death certificates are similarly available through the Clerk of Court's Vital Records division for deaths occurring in the parish, with the same fee structure.
- Processing time for vital records requests is typically 3-5 business days for in-person requests and 2-3 weeks for mail requests.
- Certified copies of marriage certificates cost $5.
- Divorce records are maintained as part of court records in the 16th Judicial District Court and can be accessed through the Clerk of Court.
- Box 60630, New Orleans, LA 70160, phone: 504-593-5100) is the central repository.
Marriage licenses are issued by St Martin Parish Clerk of Court, with both parties required to appear in person with valid identification and Social Security numbers; the fee is $27.50 and there is a 72-hour waiting period before the license becomes effective, though this may be waived by the judge. For records older than 100 years or when parish records are unavailable, the Louisiana State Vital Records Office (Louisiana Department of Health, Vital Records Registry, P.O. Online ordering of vital records is available through VitalChek.com for an additional service fee.
Louisiana Revised Statutes 40:31 et seq. Governs vital records maintenance and access, restricting access to certified copies to immediate family members and legal representatives with proper documentation.
Business & Licensing
Business licensing and registration in St. Martin Parish involves multiple agencies depending on the business type and location. The St. Martin Parish Clerk of Court (337-394-2210) records trade name certificates (DBAs) and fictitious name registrations for businesses operating under names other than their owners' legal names, with filing fees typically $25-50.
- The Louisiana Secretary of State's GeauxBiz portal (geauxbiz.sos.la.gov) provides free online searching of registered business entities, annual reports, and commercial filings throughout the state.
The Louisiana Secretary of State (www.sos.la.gov, 225-925-4704) maintains the Commercial Division responsible for all formal business entity registrations including corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), partnerships, and trademarks. St. Martinville area Government requires occupational licenses for businesses operating within unincorporated areas, administered through the Parish President's office in St.
Martinville (337-394-2200). The municipalities of St. Martinville and Breaux Bridge issue separate business licenses and occupational permits for businesses within city limits.
Sales tax registration is handled through the Louisiana Department of Revenue (855-307-3893) for state sales tax, while local sales tax permits are obtained through the St. Martinville area Sales Tax Department. Professional and occupational licenses (contractors, healthcare providers, cosmetologists, etc.) are regulated by respective Louisiana state licensing boards.
Building permits, zoning approvals, and certificates of occupancy are issued by the St. Martin Parish Planning and Zoning Department (337-394-2200). The Acadiana Business Center and St.
stmartinparishchamber.org) provide resources for new business development, though the Chamber does not maintain regulatory records. All business related public records are subject to disclosure under Louisiana's Public Records Law (R.S. 44:1 et seq.).