Suit Accounting

PAPERLESS POLICIES FOR CIVIL, FAMILY, AND PROBATE
Effective June 4, 2018, and pursuant to C.C.P. Art. 253(B), the East Baton Rouge Parish Clerk of Court (“Clerk of Court”) has established an electronic system for the filing and storage of any pleading, document or exhibit filed in the 19th Judicial District Court and Family Court for East Baton Rouge Parish.

Effective October 1, 2020, the Clerk of Court's civil suit records department no longer maintains paper files, with the exception of probate proceedings. Additionally, the Clerk of Court maintains the paper version of original notes and foreign judgments. Upon completion of the case, original notes are returned to the filer. The 19th Judicial District Duty Court Office reviews foreign judgments for authenticity. Foreign judgments are maintained until the garnishment is issued or completion of the case. Administrative records in excess of 100 pages will be maintained until completion of the case. All other paper filings will be maintained for a period of 90 days and then placed into bins until such time as they can be picked up by a third-party vendor in order to be destroyed. Should any filer request that their paper filing be returned to them, it will be returned to them if available in accordance with these guidelines.

A filing fee is required for the filing of most pleadings. Each litigant is responsible for all applicable filing fees, which are payable at the time of filing.

Once the Suit Accounting Department has completed the preparatory work to newly filed suits and/or pleadings, the documents are sent either to the Civil Processing Department, Family Processing Department, or in some cases directly to the Civil Suit Records Department. 

The Suit Accounting Department is responsible for accepting and filing all new suits and subsequent pleadings. The four types of suits accepting for filing in this department are:

  • Civil: Involving the enforcement and protection of rights relating to personal injury, contract, and property.

  • Family: Involving divorce and custody matters.

  • Probate: Involves those matters related to the administration and enforcement of wills, settlement of estates, appointment of guardians, and such matters related to minors and deceased individuals. 

  • Judicial Commitments: Involving persons who are mentally incompetent.

Suits that are NOT FILED in the Suit Accounting Department are:

  • Adoptions of Minors: Filed in the Adoptions Department in Room B-115

  • Juvenile Suits (Criminal): Filed out at Juvenile Court located at 8333 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70807

Fax Filing

Filing of papers by facsimile transmission is allowed in 19th Judicial District Court in accordance with LAS R.S. 13:850.

The filing is deemed complete once the facsimile transmission is received in the Clerk's office and a receipt of the transmission has been transmitted to the sender by the Clerk's employee.

The original signed document, the filing fee if applicable, and the transmission fee of $5.00 should be received by the Clerk's office within seven days, exclusive of legal holidays. In cases of non-compliance with these requirements, the facsimile filing shall have no force or effect.

Juvenile Suits are NOT accepted through fax filing or electronic filing. Adoptions of Minors and Juvenile Suits (Abandonment) MUST be filed in person in Room B-115 of the City Hall building.

Forma Pauper

Proceedings in Porma Pauperis

Before any judicial proceedings are permitted to be prosecuted or defended pursuant to Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure, Article 5181, et seq. (Waiver of Costs for Indigent Party), the applicant and the affiant attesting to the applicant's inability to pay the costs of court shall appear before the Duty Judge at the morning hour so that the Court may properly comply with C.C.P. 5183(2) by inquiring into the acts and satisfying itself that the applicant is entitled to the privilege to be granted; or applicant is entitled to the privilege to be granted; or at the Court's discretion, the applicant may accompany a motion to proceed, and the attestation of a third person, with detailed personal economic facts, all under oath, and containing not less than the information provided for in Appendix 3 to the rules for Louisiana District Courts.

All proceedings must be filed with the Clerk of Court and routinely allotted before the matter is considered to permit proper entries to be made for purposes of review should the order be disallowed.

If a judicial proceeding is filed and sought to be prosecuted in forma pauperis and the court refuses to permit the applicant to so proceed, the court may order that the applicant be allowed fifteen days within which to advance the necessary costs, and in default of same, the dismissal without prejudice of the proceeding.

If applicant does not within fifteen days from the date of filing either seek a hearing or submit the supporting documents as required by this Rule, the proceeding may be dismissed without prejudice and ex parte upon the motion of any party at interest.

Any part or all of the Rule may be waived by the court when the applicant is in the custody of the Department of Corrections or is otherwise incarcerated and such other or additional requirements for proceeding in forma pauperis may be imposed as are deemed appropriate and in accordance with law.

Denied Pauper Motions

If a pauper motion is denied by the judge, a copy of the order page indicating the denied status and signature of judge is mailed to the respective litigant/attorney for payment of cost due.