Meet your Clerk- Connie F. Desselle
Connie has been married to Joel Desselle for the past 40 years. They have two daughters and 5 grandkids. Connie grew up in Evergreen, Louisiana; graduated from Cottonport High School in 1981 and graduated from L.S.U.A. in 1984. She began her career working in banking for 13 years and then started working at the Clerk of Court’s Office on June 1, 1997. She was hired by Mr. Samuel G. Couvillon, who was the Clerk for over 30 years. He actually hired Connie on a Summer Work Program and approximately 16 years later he offered her a job as a full-time deputy at the Clerk’s office. Connie became a Certified Deputy in 2018 and was appointed as Chief Deputy by Clerk, Connie Couvillon. Connie ran for the position of Clerk in the October 12, 2019 Election and was successfully elected as Avoyelles Parish Clerk of Court beginning her term on July 1, 2020 ending on June 30, 2024. Connie was unopposed in the October 2023 Election and began her new 2nd term on July 1, 2024, which will end on June 30, 2028.
“I am very grateful to be elected and unopposed as Avoyelles Parish Clerk of Court for the past several years. I look forward to continue to improve the functions of the Clerk’s office to better serve the Public and keep our office up to date with technology and new laws that affect our office. I have dedicated the past 40 years of my life to working with the public and to serve and dedicate my time to many community organizations. I will always do my best in all efforts to maintain my position as an Elected Official.”
Avoyelles Parish was created on March 31, 1807 as one of the original 19 parishes. The Parish was named for the Avoyel Native American People. The parish seat of Avoyelles is Marksville.
Cities and towns found in Avoyelles Parish are made up of Bordelonville, Bunkie, Center Point, Cottonport, Evergreen, Hessmer, Mansura, Marksville, Moreauville, Plaucheville,and Simmesport.
The Constitution provides that "in each parish a clerk of the district court shall be elected for a term of four years. He shall be an ex officio notary public and parish recorder of conveyances, mortgages, and other acts and shall have other duties and powers provided by law."
The Avoyelles Parish Clerk of Court currently has a staff of 16 full time employees. The Clerk of Court in Louisiana fulfills a dual function. The Clerk of Court is the official record keeper of the parish as well as the Chief Election Officer of the Parish.
In its function as recorder, the office receives many types of instruments to be recorded in the Public Records of Avoyelles Parish as well as civil suits. These instruments are then routed and assigned for recordation in the appropriate record books maintained for the different categories to which they relate.
In addition to being the Chief Election Officer of the Parish, the Clerk of Court is also the Parish Custodian of Voting Machines, with the responsibility of delivering the voting machines to their precincts. Other duties require the Clerk of Court to notify all Commissioners and Deputy Parish Custodians of their duties and responsibilities on Election Day. After an election the Clerk is required by law to open each voting machine used in an election, record the number of votes, reseal the machines and report the totals to the Board of Election Supervisors and the Secretary of State Office.
No tax money is provided for the operation of the Avoyelles Parish Clerk of Court Office. The fees collected for recordings, certified copies and services rendered in connection with civil and probate filings are established by statute. All salaries and expenses of the office are paid out of these fees. This makes the Avoyelles Parish Clerk of Court entirely self-supporting.