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