Courts in Louisiana

More information on Louisiana's state courts:

Selection methods
Elections
Salaries
Federal courts

In Louisiana, there are 3 federal district courts, a state supreme court, a state court of appeals, and trial courts with both general and limited jurisdiction. These courts serve different purposes, which are outlined in the sections below.

Click a link for information about that court type.

* Federal courts
* State supreme court
* State court of appeals
* Trial courts

The image below depicts the flow of cases through Louisiana's state court system. Cases typically originate in the trial courts and can be appealed to courts higher up in the system.

The structure of Louisiana's state court system.

## Contents

* 1 Judicial selection process
* 2 Federal courts
* 2.1 Active judges
* 2.1.1 Eastern District
* 2.1.2 Middle District
* 2.1.3 Western District
* 2.2 District map
* 2.3 Judicial selection
* 2.4 Bankruptcy courts
* 3 State supreme court
* 4 State court of appeals
* 4.1 Judges
* 5 First Circuit Court of Appeal
* 6 Second Circuit Court of Appeal
* 7 Third Circuit Court of Appeal
* 8 Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal
* 9 Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal
* 9.1 Trial courts
* 9.1.1 District courts
* 9.1.2 Juvenile courts
* 9.1.3 Family courts
* 9.1.4 Parish courts
* 9.1.5 City courts
* 9.1.6 Mayor's court
* 9.1.7 Justice of the peace courts
* 9.1.8 Traffic courts
* 9.2 In other states
* 9.3 See also
* 9.4 External links
* 9.5 Footnotes

## Judicial selection process[edit]

See also: Louisiana judicial elections and Judicial selection in Louisiana

Selection of the state court judges in Louisiana occurs through the partisan election of judges. Interim vacancies are temporarily filled by the supreme court. Within one year of a vacancy occurring, a special election called by the governor is held. Louisiana Supreme Court and Circuit Courts of Appeal judges are elected to 10-year terms. District court judges are elected to six-year terms. Judge qualifications and chief justice selection methods vary. [1][2]

To read more about judicial elections in Louisiana, click here.

## Federal courts[edit]

The federal district courts in Louisiana are the:

* United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana
* United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana
* United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana

Appeals from these districts go to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit.[3]

### Active judges[edit]

#### Eastern District[edit]

Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law

|
|
|
|

Jay Zainey

George W. Bush (R)

|  February 14, 2002 -  |

University of New Orleans, 1972

Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, 1975

Lance Africk

George W. Bush (R)

|  April 17, 2002 -  |

University of North Carolina, 1973

University of North Carolina School of Law, 1975

Nannette Jolivette Brown

Barack Obama (D)

|  October 4, 2011 -  |

University of Southwestern Louisiana, 1985

Tulane Law School, 1988

Jane Triche-Milazzo

Barack Obama (D)

|  October 12, 2011 -  |

Nicholls State University, 1977

Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, 1992

Susie Morgan

Barack Obama (D)

|  March 30, 2012 -  |

University of Louisiana, Monroe, 1974

Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, 1980

Barry W. Ashe

Donald Trump (R)

|  August 30, 2018 -  |

Tulane University, 1978

Tulane University Law School, 1984

Wendy Vitter

Donald Trump (R)

|  May 29, 2019 -  |

Sam Houston State University, 1982

Tulane University Law School, 1986

Greg Guidry

Donald Trump (R)

|  June 21, 2019 -  |

Louisiana State University, 1982

Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, 1985

Darrel Papillion

Joe Biden (D)

|  June 1, 2023 -  |

Louisiana State University, 1990

Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, 1994

Brandon Long

Joe Biden (D)

|  December 19, 2023 -  |

University of Texas, 1999

Duke University School of Law, 2005

Below is a display of the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.

* Democrat appointed: 5
* Republican appointed: 5

#### Middle District[edit]

Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law

|
|
|
|

Brian Jackson

Barack Obama (D)

|  June 15, 2010 -  |

Xavier University, 1982

Southern University Law, 1985

Shelly Deckert Dick

Barack Obama (D)

|  May 10, 2013 -  |

University of Texas, 1981

Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, 1988

John W. deGravelles

Barack Obama (D)

|  July 23, 2014 -  |

Louisiana State University, 1971

Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, 1974

Below is a display of the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.

* Democrat appointed: 3
* Republican appointed: 0

#### Western District[edit]

Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law

|
|
|
|

Maurice Hicks

George W. Bush (R)

|  May 21, 2003 -  |

Texas Christian University, 1974

Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, 1977

Terry A. Doughty

Donald Trump (R)

|  March 7, 2018 -  |

Louisiana Tech University, 1981

Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, 1984

Robert Summerhays

Donald Trump (R)

|  September 19, 2018 -  |

University of Texas, Austin, 1989

University of Texas, Austin, 1994

James D. Cain, Jr.

Donald Trump (R)

|  June 25, 2019 -  |

McNeese State University, 1990

Southern University Law Center, 1993

David C. Joseph

Donald Trump (R)

|  July 31, 2020 -  |

University of Oklahoma, 2000

Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, 2003

Jerry Edwards Jr.

Joe Biden (D)

|  December 22, 2023 -  |

Georgia State University, 2002

Vermont Law School, 2005

Below is a display of the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.

* Democrat appointed: 1
* Republican appointed: 5

### District map[edit]

### Judicial selection[edit]

Judges who sit on the federal district courts are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate. These judges serve life terms. To read more about the judges on these courts, click here.

### Bankruptcy courts[edit]

There are three federal bankruptcy courts in Louisiana. These courts have subject-matter jurisdiction over bankruptcy cases. The federal bankruptcy courts in Louisiana are:

* United States bankruptcy court, Eastern District of Louisiana
* United States bankruptcy court, Middle District of Louisiana
* United States bankruptcy court, Western District of Louisiana

## State supreme court[edit]

See also: Louisiana Supreme Court

Founded in 1813, the Louisiana Supreme Court is the state's court of last resort. The court has seven justices who are elected from seven judicial districts in the state. One justice is elected from each district. Justices are elected to serve 10-year terms of office. The most senior justice serving on the court is the chief justice. The chief justice serves as the chief administrative officer of the state's judicial system.[4][5]

The state supreme court has exclusive original jurisdiction over cases involving disciplinary actions against lawyers and judges. The court has appellate jurisdiction in cases where a law has been declared unconstitutional, in cases where a death sentence has been imposed, and in civil cases. Such cases may originate in the state's trial courts and may bypass the intermediate courts of appeal for review. The court has supervisory jurisdiction over all courts in the state and may grant review in cases where there are conflicting rulings emanating out of two or more state or federal appellate courts, in cases where there are deemed to be significant unresolved issues of law, in cases where a previous legal precedent or ruling needs to be overruled or substantially modified, in cases where a lower court erred in its interpretation of the law, or in cases where a lower court's ruling has been deemed as a "gross departure from proper judicial proceedings".[5]

Office | Name | Party | Date assumed office

|
|
|

Louisiana Supreme Court 1st District | William J. Crain | Republican  | December 11, 2019
Louisiana Supreme Court 2nd District | Scott Crichton | Republican  | 2015
Louisiana Supreme Court 3rd District | James Genovese | Republican  | January 1, 2017
Louisiana Supreme Court 4th District | Jay B. McCallum | Republican  | November 13, 2020
Louisiana Supreme Court 5th District | Jefferson Hughes | Republican  | February 1, 2013
Louisiana Supreme Court 6th District | John L. Weimer | Independent | 2001
Louisiana Supreme Court 7th District | Piper Griffin | Democratic  | January 1, 2021

## State court of appeals[edit]

See also: Louisiana Court of Appeals

Jurisdiction of the current courts

Established in 1879, the Louisiana Court of Appeals are the intermediate appellate courts in Louisiana. There are five such courts and 53 judgeships. The term of an appellate court judge is 10 years. The judge with the most seniority on each court of appeal shall serve as the chief judge of that court.[2][6][7]

The Court of Appeals has appellate jurisdiction of all civil matters including review of workers' compensation determinations by administrative agencies, all matters appealed from family and juvenile courts, and all criminal cases eligible for trial by jury except capital offenses. The courts have appellate jurisdiction for civil cases originating in city and parish courts. The courts have supervisory jurisdiction over cases originating from within their relevant circuit.[2][7]

Each of the five circuits is divided into at least three districts. Each court of appeal sits in panels of at least three judges.[2]

### Judges[edit]

# First Circuit Court of Appeal[edit]

Judge | Tenure | Appointed By

|
|

John Guidry

January 1, 1998 - Present

Christopher Hester

January 1, 2021 - Present

Hunter Greene

January 1, 2023 - Present

Page McClendon

October 5, 2002 - Present

Allison H. Penzato

2017 - Present

Elizabeth Wolfe

2020 - Present

Wayne Chutz

2014 - Present

Tess Percy Stromberg

December 27, 2023 - Present

Mitch Theriot

December 8, 2012 - Present

Walter I. Lanier III

January 1, 2019 - Present

Steve Miller

January 1, 2023 - Present

Jewel Welch

2004 - Present

# Second Circuit Court of Appeal[edit]

Judge | Tenure | Appointed By

|
|

James M. Stephens

January 1, 2018 - Present

Daniel Ellender

January 1, 2023 - Present

Marcus Hunter

May 5, 2021 - Present

Jeff Thompson

April 29, 2019 - Present

Jeff Robinson

February 11, 2021 - Present

Jeff Cox

2016 - Present

Craig Marcotte

April 25, 2022 - Present

Shonda Stone

2016 - Present

Frances Pitman

2012 - Present

# Third Circuit Court of Appeal[edit]

Judge | Tenure | Appointed By

|
|

Van H. Kyzar

2016 - Present

Elizabeth A. Pickett

1997 - Present

Shannon J. Gremillion

2008 - Present

D. Kent Savoie

2015 - Present

Sharon Wilson

January 1, 2021 - Present

H. Guy Bradberry

January 1, 2023 - Present

Wilbur Stiles

January 1, 2023 - Present

Jonathan Perry

January 1, 2019 - Present

Charlie Fitzgerald

January 1, 2021 - Present

Gary J. Ortego

March 7, 2022 - Present

Ledricka Johnson Thierry

January 1, 2023 - Present

Candyce Perret

2017 - Present

# Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal[edit]

Judge | Tenure | Appointed By

|
|

Joy Cossich Lobrano

2010 - Present

Rose Ledet

2010 - Present

Terri Love

2000 - Present

Tiffany Gautier Chase

January 1, 2018 - Present

Paula Brown

January 1, 2018 - Present

Nakisha Ervin-Knott

January 1, 2023 - Present

Rachael Johnson

January 1, 2023 - Present

Sandra Cabrina Jenkins

2012 - Present

Dale Atkins

2018 - Present

Daniel L. Dysart

2010 - Present

Roland L. Belsome

2004 - Present

Karen K. Herman

January 1, 2023 - Present

# Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal[edit]

Judge | Tenure | Appointed By

|
|

Marc E. Johnson

2009 - Present

Fredericka Homberg Wicker

2006 - Present

John J. Molaison Jr.

January 1, 2019 - Present

Stephen J. Windhorst

2012 - Present

Susan M. Chehardy

1998 - Present

Scott Schlegel

January 1, 2024 - Present

Jude G. Gravois

2009 - Present

Timothy Marcel

January 1, 2024 - Present

## Trial courts[edit]

### District courts[edit]

See also: Louisiana District Courts

Louisiana District Courts

In Louisiana, there are 43 district courts. The district courts have general jurisdiction and the authority to adjudicate all civil and criminal cases except for cases otherwise assigned by the state constitution or in review of workers' compensation determinations by administrative agencies.[2][5]

The court holds original jurisdiction over the following types of cases:[2]

* The appointment of receivers or liquidators for corporations or partnerships
* Cases involving immovable property titles, except for divorce or annulment cases in family court related to community property partitions or matrimonial regimes claims;
* Civil or political rights;
* Felony cases;
* Probate and succession cases
* The right to hold office or other public position;
* The state, a political corporation, or political subdivisions;
* A succession (as a defendant);

The court has appellate jurisdiction over civil cases from a justice of the peace court if the justice of the peace court is in a parish where there is no parish court. The court may also conduct appellate review in certain criminal cases originating from lower courts.[2]

The number of district court judges in any judicial district may be changed by a law or a two-thirds vote of the state legislature. The term of a district court judge is six years.[2]

### Juvenile courts[edit]

See also: Louisiana Juvenile Courts

There are four juvenile courts in Louisiana, located in Caddo, East Baton Rouge, Jefferson, and Orleans Parishes. These courts have exclusive jurisdiction over delinquency cases involving individuals under the age of 17 years old, except for certain felony offenses. These courts also handle adoption proceedings for individuals under the age of 17.[2][5]

### Family courts[edit]

See also: Louisiana Family Courts

There is one Family Court in Louisiana. It is located in the East Baton Rouge Parish. It has specialized jurisdiction over all family matters, or cases involving divorce, child custody, and delinquency proceedings.[2][5]

### Parish courts[edit]

See also: Louisiana Parish Courts

There are three parish courts in Louisiana. These courts have jurisdiction over civil cases worth up to $20,000, and in criminal cases punishable by fines of $1,000 or less, imprisonment of six months or less, or both. Parties can appeal cases from the parish courts to the state courts of appeal.[2][5]

### City courts[edit]

See also: Louisiana City Courts

There are 50 Louisiana City Courts, including a court in the City of New Orleans, the First and Second City Courts, a municipal court, and a traffic court. City Courts exercise concurrent jurisdiction with the district court in civil cases where the disputed amount does not exceed $50,000. In criminal cases, these courts have jurisdiction over misdemeanor offenses and city ordinance violations. The courts also handle traffic cases.[2][5]

### Mayor's court[edit]

See also: Louisiana Mayor's Courts

The Mayor's Courts are local courts in Louisiana that grant the mayor some judicial powers. There are approximately 250 mayor's courts in the state.[8]

Under Louisiana law, the mayor's court is established with the following authority:[9]

“  | The mayor may try all breaches of the ordinances and impose fines or imprisonment, or both, provided for the infraction thereof. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the mayor may also impose court costs not to exceed thirty dollars for each offense, as defined by ordinance, on any defendant convicted of a violation of a municipal ordinance.[10] | ”

|
|

Also, the mayor is authorized with the power of a committing magistrate.[9]

### Justice of the peace courts[edit]

See also: Louisiana Justice of the Peace Courts

Justice of the peace courts are not courts of record but exercise civil jurisdiction along with the district courts in cases where the disputed amount does not exceed $5,000. Justices of the peace have criminal jurisdiction as committing magistrates, authorized to issue bail or discharge orders in cases that are not punishable by death or hard labor. Justices may issue bond orders to keep the peace.[2][11][12]

### Traffic courts[edit]

See also: Louisiana Traffic Courts

Traffic Courts and Traffic Violations Bureaus administer hearings for traffic violations in the state of Louisiana. Some of the courts are under the supervision of a city court.[13][14][15][16][17]

## In other states[edit]

Click the map below to explore the court structure in other states.

Choose your state...AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWashington, D.C.West VirginiaWisconsinWyoming

http://ballotpedia.org/Courts_in_STATE

## See also[edit]

* Judicial selection in Louisiana
* Louisiana judicial elections

## External links[edit]

| Suggest a link

|

* Search Google News for this topic
* Louisiana Judicial Branch

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Louisiana; Selection of Judges," archived October 2, 2014
2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 Louisiana House of Representatives, "CHAPTER 1—ORGANIZATION OF STATE GOVERNMENT: Part B. The Judicial Branch," accessed March 16, 2021
3. ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "U.S. District Courts Districts LA," accessed October 7, 2019
4. ↑ Louisiana Supreme Court, "Louisiana Supreme Court History," accessed March 16, 2021
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Louisiana Supreme Court, "FAQ About the Court," accessed March 16, 2021
6. ↑ Louisiana Court of Appeal First Circuit, "History," August 11, 2009
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 National Center for State Courts, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Louisiana," accessed March 16, 2021
8. ↑ Louisiana State Bar Association, "Court Structure," accessed March 16, 2021
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Louisiana State Legislature, "SUBPART G. MUNICIPAL COURTS," accessed March 16, 2021
10. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
11. ↑ Louisiana State Bar Association, "Justice of the Peace Court: What You Need to Know," accessed March 16, 2021
12. ↑ Louisiana State Bar Association, "Court Structure," accessed March 16, 2021
13. ↑ Court Reference.com, "The Guide to Louisiana Courts," archived August 2, 2023
14. ↑ Louisiana Revised Statutes, "CHAPTER 8. MUNICIPAL AND TRAFFIC COURT OF NEW ORLEANS," accessed October 30, 2023
15. ↑ Louisiana Revised Statutes, "Traffic Violations Bureau," accessed October 30, 2023
16. ↑ Louisiana Revised Statutes, "§2492. Number of judges; qualifications; election; salary; vacation," accessed October 30, 2023
17. ↑ Louisiana Revised Statutes, "§2493. Jurisdiction," accessed October 30, 2023

Louisiana courts

* * *

Federal courts:

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, Western District of Louisiana • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, Western District of Louisiana

State courts:

Louisiana Supreme Court • Louisiana Courts of Appeal • Louisiana District Courts • Louisiana Family Courts • Louisiana Juvenile Courts • Louisiana Parish Courts • Louisiana City Courts • Louisiana Municipal Courts • Louisiana Traffic Courts • Louisiana Justice of the Peace Courts • Louisiana Mayor’s Courts

State resources:

Courts in Louisiana • Louisiana judicial elections • Judicial selection in Louisiana

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