Louisiana District Courts
In Louisiana, district courts are the main trial courts. Above them sit the circuit courts of appeal and the Louisiana Supreme Court; below them are limited courts for city, traffic, municipal, and juvenile matters. The state's high court explains this structure in its court FAQ, shown below.
That hierarchy holds statewide, but Orleans Parish applies it through two separate district courts rather than one.
Orleans Civil District Court
Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans handles civil lawsuits, domestic matters, successions, and foreclosures. It sits at 421 Loyola Avenue and is paired with the Clerk of Civil District Court, which also serves as the parish recorder for land documents. This is the court for divorce, custody, support, personal injury, contract disputes, and estate successions.
Because the civil clerk also keeps land and notarial records, Civil District Court connects to property history in a way that few trial courts do. A succession judgment here can flow directly into a recorded property transfer through the same office.
Orleans Criminal District Court
Criminal District Court for the Parish of Orleans handles felony and major criminal cases. It sits at 2700 Tulane Avenue with its own clerk. This is the court for arraignments, bond settings, motions, trials, and sentencing in serious criminal matters. It also runs specialty programs that handle certain defendants outside the standard docket.
The criminal court is entirely separate from the civil court. A felony case file, a criminal docket, or a criminal certified copy comes from this court and its clerk, never from the civil side. For the court itself, see the Criminal District Court page.
Orleans Parish Courts and Venues
Several courts serve Orleans Parish, each with its own jurisdiction and address. The table below maps the trial and appellate courts a researcher is most likely to need.
| Court | Handles | Address |
|---|---|---|
| Civil District Court | Civil, domestic, successions, foreclosures | 421 Loyola Avenue |
| Criminal District Court | Felony and major criminal cases | 2700 Tulane Avenue |
| Municipal and Traffic Court | Traffic and city ordinance cases | 1601 Perdido Street |
| Orleans Parish Juvenile Court | Delinquency, child protection, FINS | New Orleans |
| Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal | Appeals from Orleans Parish trial courts | New Orleans |
| Louisiana Supreme Court | Highest state court | 400 Royal Street |
Judges and Divisions
Each Orleans Parish trial court divides its work among judges who sit in numbered sections or divisions, and a case stays with its assigned judge. Court rules govern how cases are filed, assigned, and managed. The Louisiana Supreme Court publishes the statewide court rules, shown below.
Judicial districts across the state are mapped by the high court as well. The judicial district maps are shown here.
These maps show where Orleans Parish fits within the statewide judicial structure.
How a Case Moves Through the System
A case follows a path from the trial court upward. The exact route depends on whether it is civil or criminal, but the appellate chain is the same.
Case flow: Municipal, Traffic, or Juvenile Court › Civil or Criminal District Court › Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal › Louisiana Supreme Court
Most cases end at the trial level. Only a fraction are appealed, and fewer still reach the state's highest court. Still, knowing the chain helps a researcher follow a case that moves beyond its original docket, since each level keeps its own record with its own number.
District Court vs Limited Courts
The district courts handle the largest and most serious matters, while limited courts take narrower case types. Comparing them clarifies where a given case belongs.
| Feature | District Court | Municipal & Traffic Court | Juvenile Court |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case types | Civil suits, felonies, successions | Traffic and city ordinances | Delinquency and child protection |
| Records access | Mostly public | Mostly public | Confidential |
| Location | Loyola and Tulane Avenues | 1601 Perdido Street | New Orleans |
Appeals to the Fourth Circuit
When a party appeals an Orleans Parish trial-court decision, the case normally goes to the Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal, located in New Orleans. From there, a party may seek review in the Louisiana Supreme Court, though that review is often discretionary. The appellate court opens a new docket separate from the trial record, so an appeal is tracked under its own number.
Specialty Courts
Criminal District Court runs problem-solving programs rather than placing every defendant on a standard docket. Drug or treatment courts and behavioral-health dockets pair judicial supervision with treatment, testing, and graduated sanctions. Eligibility depends on the charge, criminal history, a clinical assessment, and approval from the court and the district attorney. These programs aim to address the issues behind certain cases instead of relying only on incarceration.
The Louisiana Supreme Court
The Louisiana Supreme Court is the state's highest court, and it sits in Orleans Parish at 400 Royal Street. It is not the local trial court, but it matters for the hierarchy and for statewide judicial administration. Its official site is shown below.
The court also publishes a docket for matters that reach it. The Supreme Court docket page is shown here.
Having the state's highest court in New Orleans makes Orleans Parish a useful place to see the whole hierarchy in one city.
Court Locations
The Orleans Parish trial courts are spread across the downtown civic-center area, not gathered on one campus. Knowing the right building saves a wasted trip, since the civil and criminal courts are more than a mile apart.
Civil District Court
421 Loyola Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70112
cdcclerk@orleanscivilclerk.com
Criminal District Court
2700 Tulane Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70119
Criminal District Court Clerk
Traffic and municipal cases are heard at 1601 Perdido Street, and the Louisiana Supreme Court sits at 400 Royal Street in the French Quarter. Allow extra time for security screening and parking in the downtown area.
Federal Court Is Different
State district court is not the same as federal court. Orleans Parish falls within the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, which handles federal criminal and civil matters under federal law. Those cases are not searched through the parish district courts or their clerks. Federal records are reached through PACER and the federal court system. A case is either a state matter, handled by the Orleans Parish courts, or a federal matter, handled by the federal court, and the two run on separate tracks with separate records.