Orleans Parish Court Systems
Timeline
This court was established by Governor Claiborne to handle cases still pending in Spanish Courts. Except for a few items, the records no longer exist.
Claiborne gave the Court jurisdiction in all suits not exceeding $3000. He also provided that justices would have summary power to make individual decisions in civil matters in which the value at stake was less than twenty dollars. In addition, Claiborne gave the justices power to rule on minor criminal offenses.
given jurisdiction in civil matters involving debts of more than fifty dollars or injuries to persons or property of less than one hundred dollars. The court also had jurisdiction in all non-capital criminal matters
Replaces the Court of Pleas; roughly analogous to today's Louisiana Supreme Court, i.e., operating as a court of last resort.
Provides for the judicial supervision of the disposition of the estates left by deceased property owners in Orleans Parish.
Given the same jurisdiction as the previous County Court for New Orleans. In addition to criminal matters and civil causes for amounts under $100, the Court also heard insolvency suits in which debtors petitioned for protection from the demands of their creditors.
Civil jurisdiction within Orleans Parish concurrent with that of the District Court of the First Judicial District. The Parish Court also had the same criminal jurisdiction over slaves as had been enjoyed by the City Court of New Orleans prior to 1813.
This court had geographical jurisdiction over the First Judicial District of the State, including Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, and (beginning in 1825) Jefferson Parishes. The court originally had both civil and criminal original jurisdiction as well as jurisdiction in appeals from the Parish Courts in its constituent parishes (excepting Orleans, whose appeals went directly to the Louisiana Supreme Court). In 1818 the Court's criminal jurisdiction was given to a new Criminal Court of the City of New Orleans which, in the following year, was enlarged to cover the entire district.
This court had concurrent jurisdiction with the already existing Parish Court and First Judicial District Court, except that the Commercial Court could hear no case involving ownership or possession of land, enslaved people, domestic relations, tort suits, or eminent domain expropriations.
During this period, New Orleans had a system of numbered district courts (be aware, however, that these were not geographical districts – each of the courts had jurisdiction over the entire parish of Orleans). Prior to 1853, the courts handled all types of civil matters; after 1853, First District Court had criminal jurisdiction.
First District Court handled criminal matters from 1846-1880. New Orleans was occupied by Union Troops from 1862-1865, with the Federal Government in control of the courts; those records are located at the National Archives affiliate in Fort Worth, TX.
Prior to 1853 the courts handled all types of civil matters; after 1853, Second District Court had jurisdiction over probate matters. Cases pending in the Court of Probates were transferred to this court in 1846.
Prior to 1853 the courts handled all types of civil matters; after 1853, Third District Court had jurisdiction over family matters. Cases pending in the Parish Court were transferred to this court in 1846.
Prior to 1853, the courts handled all types of civil matters; after 1853, Fourth District Court had general civil jurisdiction. Cases pending in Commercial Court were transferred to this court in 1846.
Prior to 1853 the courts handled all types of civil matters; after 1853, Fifth District Court had general civil jurisdiction. Cases pending in First Judicial District Court were transferred to this court in 1846.
This court was created to handle cases pending in the City of Lafayette, when it was annexed to Orleans Parish. After several years, the court assumed more general jurisdiction.
The specific jurisdiction of this court is unclear. Some cases from Third District Court are often included in the court’s records.
This court was created during Reconstruction and may have been created to handle disputed election cases.
This court contains a great many tax-related cases. In many cases, no suit record was generated, but only a page in a tax judgment book; the judgment book contains no details, since the cases were cut-and-dried proceedings in which the City or State sued someone for non-payment of taxes.
Criminal jurisdiction from 1874-1880 when it was replaced with Criminal District Court. Criminal cases pending in First District Court were transferred to this court in 1874.
Originally this court had jurisdiction over St. Bernard, Plaquemines, and Jefferson Parishes. In 1876 it's judicial boundaries were extended to included the 6th and 7th municipal districts of New Orleans--the cities of Jefferson and Carrollton annexed to New Orleans. The Second Judicial District Court had civil jurisdiction in all cases, except matters of probate, when over $100 was involved. It also had exclusive jurisdiction in criminal cases.
[archival holdings 1880-1927]
In 1880, all of the separate civil courts were replaced by a single Civil District Court. The new court kept separate dockets onto which cases were entered according to classes. Docket 1 handled probate matters, Dockets 2-4 handled general suits, and Docket 5 handled divorces. This court is still in operation and handles the civil cases in Orleans Parish. The City Archives holds Civil District Court records from 1880-1927; records dating from 1928-present are held by the Clerk of Civil District Court.
[archival holdings 1880-1932]
In 1880, courts holding criminal jurisdiction were replaced with a single Criminal District Court. This court is still in operation and handles the criminal cases in Orleans Parish. The City Archives hold Criminal District Court records from 1880-1932; records dating from 1933-present are held by the Clerk of Criminal District Court.