InLouisiana, 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.

Judicial selection process

See also:Louisiana judicial elections andJudicial selection in Louisiana

Selection of the state court judges in Louisiana occurs through thepartisan 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 andCircuit 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

Thefederal 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 theU.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit.^[3]

Active judges

Eastern District

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.

• Democratic appointed: 5
• Republican appointed: 5

Middle District

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.

• Democratic appointed: 3
• Republican appointed: 0

Western District

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.

• Democratic appointed: 1
• Republican appointed: 6

District map

Judicial selection

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

Bankruptcy courts

There are threefederal 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

See also:Louisiana Supreme Court

Founded in 1813, theLouisiana Supreme Court is the state'scourt of last resort and has seven judgeships. The current chief of the court isJohn L. Weimer.

As of December 2025, there were four Republican, two Democratic, and one Independent judges on the court.

The Louisiana Supreme Court meets in New Orleans, Louisiana.^[4]

The supreme court has jurisdiction to review judgments by the court of appeals in both civil and criminal cases. Jurisdiction for appeal in all criminal cases, except death penalty cases, is given to the court of appeals, based on theLouisiana Jurisdiction in Criminal Cases Amendment (1980). The jurisdiction of the supreme court in civil cases extends to both law and facts, while in criminal cases jurisdiction extends to questions of law.^[5]

The supreme court has jurisdiction in cases where a law or ordinance has been declared unconstitutional. The court also has exclusive jurisdiction in cases involving the discipline of judges.^[6]

The chief justice is the chief administrative officer of the judicial system and the supreme court has supervisory powers over all lower courts, as well as administrative, and procedural rule-making powers. The court also has supervisory responsibility for acceptance of attorneys into the bar and for judicial misconduct, where recommendations for actions are sent to the court by theJudiciary Commission of Louisiana.^[7]

State court of appeals

See also:Louisiana Court of Appeals

Jurisdiction of the current courts

Established in 1879, theLouisiana Court of Appeals are theintermediate appellate courts inLouisiana. 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][8][9]

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][9]

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

First Circuit Court of Appeal

Second Circuit Court of Appeal

Third Circuit Court of Appeal

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal

Trial courts

District courts

See also:Louisiana District Courts

Louisiana District Courts

InLouisiana,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][10]

The court holdsoriginal 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 thestate legislature. The term of a district court judge is six years.^[2]

Juvenile courts

See also:Louisiana Juvenile Courts

There are fourjuvenile courts inLouisiana, located inCaddo,East Baton Rouge,Jefferson, andOrleans 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][10]

Family courts

See also:Louisiana Family Courts

There is oneFamily Court inLouisiana. It is located in theEast Baton Rouge Parish. It has specialized jurisdiction over all family matters, or cases involving divorce, child custody, and delinquency proceedings.^[2][10]

Parish courts

See also:Louisiana Parish Courts

There are threeparish courts inLouisiana. 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 thestate courts of appeal.^[2][10]

City courts

See also:Louisiana City Courts

There are 50Louisiana 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 thedistrict 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][10]

Mayor's court

See also:Louisiana Mayor's Courts

TheMayor's Courts are local courts inLouisiana that grant the mayor some judicial powers. There are approximately 250 mayor's courts in the state.^[11]

Under Louisiana law, the mayor's court is established with the following authority:^[12]

Also, the mayor is authorized with the power of a committing magistrate.^[12]

Justice of the peace courts

See also:Louisiana Justice of the Peace Courts

Justice of the peace courts are not courts of record but exercise civil jurisdiction along with thedistrict 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][14][15]

Traffic courts

See also:Louisiana Traffic Courts

Traffic Courts and Traffic Violations Bureaus administer hearings for traffic violations in the state ofLouisiana. Some of the courts are under the supervision of a city court.^{[16][17][18][19][20]}

In other states

See also

• Judicial selection in Louisiana
• Louisiana judicial elections

External links

Suggest a link

• Search Google News for this topic
• Louisiana Judicial Branch

Footnotes

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