A key part of any succession proceeding is the preparation of a detailed estate inventory. Without such an inventory it is often impossible to determine exactly what property belongs to an inheritance. Estate inventories in nineteenth century New Orleans were conducted and recorded by notaries public or by other individuals appointed by the judge handling the succession proceedings.

During the period of the Court of Probates (1805-1846) estate inventories were kept in a separate series within the Court’s records. After 1846, inventories were generally filed with the rest of the documents within succession records.