How Do The Louisiana City and Parish Courts Work?

City Courts and Parish Courts are trial courts of limited and specialized jurisdiction in Louisiana. Residents of communities in the state can access courts frequently and at a lower cost through the services and jurisdiction of the City and Parish Courts. There are only two parishes with Parish Courts in Louisiana. These are the Ascension Parish and Jefferson Parish courts. The First Parish Court, established in 1962, has territorial jurisdiction over all the regions in the parish lying east of the Mississippi River. The Second Parish Court in the Parish of Jefferson, established in 1966, has territorial jurisdiction over all the region in the parish lying west of the Mississippi River. The Parish Court of the Ascension Parish has territorial jurisdiction throughout Ascension Parish.

The Parish Courts have original jurisdiction concurrent with the District Courts over criminal offenses punishable by a fine not above $1,000, imprisonment not exceeding six months, or both. For civil cases, the Parish Courts share concurrent jurisdiction with District Courts in cases where the amount in controversy or the value of the property involved is up to $20,000. However, Parish Courts do not have jurisdiction over issues related to

• Claims for divorce
• Alimony and separation of property
• Annulment of marriage
• Cases in which the municipal, parish, state, or other political subdivision is a defendant
• Claims of title to real estate
• Election contest
• Cases in which the plaintiff asserts political or civil rights per the federal or state constitutions
• Succession
• Interdiction
• Receivership
• Liquidation
• Habeas corpus and quo warranto proceedings
• Juvenile case (for the Parish Courts of Jefferson)

Appeals of the decision of the Parish Courts are heard at the courts of appeal.

Louisiana has 46 City Courts, excluding in New Orleans, the First and Second City Courts, a Municipal Court, and a Traffic Court. The First and Second City Courts in the Orleans Parish exercise only civil jurisdiction and no criminal jurisdiction. The Municipal Court has original jurisdiction over municipal misdemeanor cases only (except traffic cases), while the Traffic Court has original jurisdiction over violations of municipal traffic ordinances.

The New Orleans Municipal Court also has concurrent jurisdiction with the Criminal District Court for the Parish of Orleans concerning the trial of violations of state statutes which are not triable by a jury. The court has a Housing and Environmental Division with jurisdiction over violations of zoning ordinances, the city building code, and certain chapters of the City Code (R. S. 13:2493). The Traffic Court of New Orleans has concurrent jurisdiction with the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court concerning the trial of offenses such as violations of the Criminal Code of Louisiana involving traffic, violations relating to street and highway laws, and other state laws relating to the operation of a vehicle (R. S. 13:2501.1(F))..

Generally, Louisiana City Courts (except in New Orleans) have jurisdiction over cases involving:

• Criminal offenses not punishable by hard labor, such as violations of parish and city ordinances, state DWI cases, preliminary examinations in non-capital cases, and peace bonds;
• Civil cases in which the amount in controversy, or the property involved, range from $15,000 to $50,000, except for matters in which Parish Courts have no jurisdiction, curatorship, tutorship, emancipation, and participation proceedings;
• Juvenile cases, except where separate courts with exclusive original juvenile jurisdiction exist

Louisiana law also authorizes the establishment of small claims division in the City Courts. Claims not exceeding $5,000 may be filed in such divisions. Small claims divisions’ procedures are simplified, with technical rules of evidence relaxed.

There are 56 presiding judges in the City Courts in Louisiana. There are four judges on the two New Orleans City Courts, two on the Municipal Court, and four on the Traffic Court. Judges of both the City and Parish Courts in Louisiana are expected to:

• Be younger than the mandatory retirement age of 70
• Have been admitted to the practice of law in Louisiana for at least ten eight years
• Be domiciled in the respective parish for at least one year preceding the candidate’s elections.

To obtain court records for matters handled in the Louisiana City and Parish Courts, visit the particular court’s location below:

ABBEVILLE CITY COURT (Vermilion Parish)
Abbeville City Court
208 S. State Street
P.O. Box 251, Abbeville
Abbeville, LA 70510
Phone: (337) 893–1513

ALEXANDRIA CITY COURT (Rapides Parish)
Alexandria City Court
P.O. Box 30
Alexandria, LA 71309
Phone: (318) 449–5146

ASCENSION PARISH COURT (Ascension Parish)
Ascension Parish Court
828 S. Irma Boulevard, Building 2
Gonzales, LA 70737
Phone: (225) 473–9866

BAKER CITY COURT (East Baton Rouge Parish)
Baker City Court
P.O. Box 1
Baker, LA 70704–0001
Phone: (225) 778–1866

BASTROP CITY COURT (Morehouse Parish)
Bastrop City Court
P.O. Box 391
Bastrop, LA 71221–0391
Phone: (318) 283–0257

BATON ROUGE CITY COURT (East Baton Rouge Parish)
P.O. Box 3438
Baton Rouge, LA 70821
Baton Rouge City Court
233 Street Louis Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Phone 1: (225) 389–5279
Fax: (225) 389–7656

BOGALUSA CITY COURT (Washington Parish)
Bogalusa City Court
P.O. Box 518
Bogalusa, LA 70429–0518
Phone: (985) 732–6204

BOSSIER CITY COURT (Bossier Parish)
Bossier City Court
620 Benton Road
Bossier City, LA 71111
Phone: (318) 741–8587

BREAUX BRIDGE CITY COURT (Street Martin Parish)
Breaux Bridge City Court
101 Berard Street
Breaux Bridge, LA 70517
Phone: (337) 332–4117

BUNKIE CITY COURT (Avoyelles Parish)
Bunkie City Court
P.O. Box 74
Bunkie, LA 71322
Phone: (318) 346–7250

CROWLEY CITY COURT (Acadia Parish)
Crowley City Court
P.O. Box 225
Crowley, LA. 70526
426 North Avenue F
Crowley, LA 70526
Phone: (337) 788–4118

DENHAM SPRINGS CITY COURT (Livingston Parish)
Denham Springs City Court
400 Mayor Herbert Hoover Avenue
Denham Springs, LA 70726
Phone: (225) 665–1253

EUNICE CITY COURT (Street Landry Parish)
Eunice City Court
P.O. Box 591
Eunice, LA. 70535
Phone: (337) 457–6535

FRANKLIN CITY COURT (Street Mary Parish)
P.O. Box 343
Franklin, La. 70538
Franklin City Court
317 Willow Street
Franklin, LA. 70538
Phone: (337) 828–3858

HAMMOND CITY COURT (Tangipahoa Parish)
City Court of Hammond
7th Ward, Parish of Tangipahoa
303 East Thomas Street
Hammond, LA. 70401
Phone: (985) 542–3455

HOUMA CITY COURT (Terrebonne Parish)
Houma City Court
7887 Main Street
Houma, LA. 70360
Phone: (985) 868–4232

JEANERETTE CITY COURT (Iberia Parish)
Jeanerette City Court
P.O. Box 268
Jeanerette, LA. 70544
Phone: (337) 276–5603

1ST PARISH COURT OF JEFFERSON (Jefferson Parish)
1st Parish Court of Jefferson
924 David Dr.
Metairie, LA. 70003
Phone: (504) 736–8900

2ND PARISH COURT OF JEFFERSON (Jefferson Parish)
2nd Parish Court of Jefferson
100 Huey P. Long Avenue
Gretna, LA. 70053
Phone: (504) 364–2800

JENNINGS CITY COURT (Jefferson Davis Parish)
Jennings City Court
P.O. Box 609
Jennings, LA. 70546
Phone: (337) 821–5514

KAPLAN CITY COURT (Vermilion Parish)
P.O. Box 121
Kaplan, LA. 70548
Kaplan City Court
511 N. Cushing Avenue
Kaplan, LA. 70548
Phone: (337) 643–6611

LAFAYETTE CITY COURT (Lafayette Parish)
Lafayette City Court
P. O. Drawer 3344
Lafayette, LA. 70502–3344
105 E. Convent Street
Lafayette, LA. 70502–3344
Phone: (337) 291–8735

LAKE CHARLES CITY COURT (Calcasieu Parish)
Lake Charles City Court
800 Bilbo Street
2nd Floor
Lake Charles, LA. 70601
Phone: (318) 491–1564
Fax: (318) 491–1305

LEESVILLE CITY COURT (Vernon Parish)
Leesville City Court
P.O. Box 1486
Leesville, LA. 71496–1486
Phone: (337) 238–1531

MARKSVILLE CITY COURT (Avoyelles Parish)
Marksville City Court
P.O. Box 429
Marksville, LA. 71351
116 W. Bon Tempt Street
Marksville, LA. 71351
Phone: (318) 253–7860

MINDEN CITY COURT (Webster Parish)
Minden City Court
P.O. Box 968
Minden, LA. 71058–0968
Phone: (318) 377–4308

MONROE CITY COURT (Ouachita Parish)
Monroe City Court
P.O. Box 777
Monroe, LA. 71210
Phone: (318) 329–2580

MORGAN CITY COURT (Street Mary Parish)
Morgan City Court
7261 Highway 182 East
P.O. Box 1577
Morgan City, LA. 70381
Phone: (985) 384–2718

NATCHITOCHES CITY COURT (Natchitoches Parish)
Natchitoches City Court
P.O. Box 70
Natchitoches, LA. 71458–0070
Phone: (318) 352–6666

NEW IBERIA CITY COURT (Iberia Parish)
New Iberia City Court
457 East Main Street
Room 206; New Iberia, LA. 70560
Phone: (337) 369–2334

FIRST CITY COURT OF NEW ORLEANS (Orleans Parish)
Constable’s Office
421 Loyola Avenue
Civil District Court Building
Room 208
New Orleans, LA. 70112
Phone: (504) 523–3258

SECOND CITY COURT OF NEW ORLEANS (Orleans Parish)
Second City Court of New Orleans
225 Morgan Street
New Orleans, LA. 70114
Phone: (504) 407–0435

NEW ORLEANS MUNICIPAL COURT (Orleans Parish)
New Orleans Municipal Court
727 South Broad Street
New Orleans, LA. 70119
Phone: (504) 658–9700

NEW ORLEANS TRAFFIC COURT (Orleans Parish)
New Orleans Traffic Court
Violations Bureau
727 South Broad Street
New Orleans, LA. 70119
Phone: (504) 827–5091

OAKDALE CITY COURT (Allen Parish)
Oakdale City Court
P.O. Box 565
Oakdale, LA. 71463
333 East 6th Avenue
Oakdale, LA. 71463
Phone: (318) 335–1121

OPELOUSAS CITY COURT (Street Landry Parish)
Opelousas City Court
P.O. Box 1999
Opelousas, LA. 70571–1999
Phone: (337) 948–2570

PINEVILLE CITY COURT (Rapides Parish)
Pineville City Court
P.O. Box 3671
Pineville, LA. 71361
Phone: (318) 449–5656

PLAQUEMINE CITY COURT (Iberville Parish)
Plaquemine City Court
P.O. Box 1017
Plaquemine, LA. 70765
Phone: (225) 687–7236

PORT ALLEN CITY COURT (West Baton Rouge Parish)
Port Allen City Court
P.O. Box 93
330 S. Alexander Avenue
Port Allen, LA. 70767
Phone: (225) 346–4702

RAYNE CITY COURT (Acadia Parish)
Rayne City Court
P.O. Box 31
Rayne, LA. 70578
Phone: (337) 334–9677

RUSTON CITY COURT (Lincoln Parish)
Ruston City Court
P.O. Box 1821
Ruston, LA. 71273–1821
Phone: (318) 251–8614

SHREVEPORT CITY COURT (Caddo Parish)
Shreveport City Court
1244 Texas Street
Shreveport, LA. 71101
Phone: (318) 673–5800

SLIDELL CITY COURT (Street Tammany Parish)
Slidell City Court
501 Bouscaren Street
Slidell, LA. 70459
Phone: (985) 643–1274

SPRINGHILL CITY COURT (Webster Parish)
Springhill City Court
P.O. Box 86
Springhill, LA. 71075
Phone: (318) 539–4213

SULPHUR CITY COURT (Calcasieu Parish)
802 S. Huntington Street
Sulphur, LA. 70663
Phone: (337) 527–7006

THIBODAUX CITY COURT (Lafourche Parish)
Thibodaux City Court
P.O. Box 568
1309 Canal Boulevard
Thibodaux, LA. 70302
Phone: (985) 446–7250

VIDALIA CITY COURT (Concordia Parish)
Vidalia City Court
409 Texas Street
Vidalia, LA. 71373
Phone: (318) 336–6255

VILLE PLATTE CITY COURT (Evangeline Parish)
Ville Platte City Court
P.O. Box 147
Ville Platte, LA. 70586
Phone: (337) 363–1500

WEST MONROE CITY COURT (Ouachita Parish)
West Monroe City Court
2303 North 7th Street
West Monroe, LA. 71291
Phone: (318) 396–2767

WINNFIELD CITY COURT (Winn Parish)
Winnfield City Court
P.O. Box 1342
100 West Boundary Avenue
Winnfield, LA. 71483
Phone: (318) 628–4844

WINNSBORO CITY COURT (Franklin Parish)
Winnsboro City Court
1308 Cornell Street
Winnsboro, LA. 71295
Phone: (318) 435–4508
Fax: (318) 435–7108

ZACHARY CITY COURT (East Baton Rouge Parish)
Zachary City Court
P.O. Box 310
4510 Main Street
Zachary, LA. 70791
Phone: (225) 654–0044