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Beauregard Parish, LA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Beauregard Parish information |
|---|---|
| Court | Thirty-Sixth Judicial District Court |
| Filing office | Beauregard Parish Clerk of Court |
| Courthouse address | 200 West 2nd Street, DeRidder, LA 70634 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 100, DeRidder, LA 70634 |
| Phone | (337) 463-8595 |
| Fax | (337) 462-3916 |
| Hours | 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Saturdays, Sundays, legal holidays, and public emergencies, under La. R.S. 13:756. Call ahead for any local closure or filing cutoff. |
| Advance cost deposit | A succession is opened with an advance cost deposit collected by the Clerk of Court. Call the office for the current amount. |
| Local forms | No statewide Louisiana succession form set. The Thirty-Sixth Judicial District Court forms page lists no succession form. Ask the Clerk of Court whether a local checklist is currently used. |
| E-filing | Attorneys have a statewide filing rule under La. C.C.P. art. 253. Self-represented filers should ask the Beauregard Parish Clerk of Court what filing methods are accepted. |
| Online search | Louisiana has the eClerksLA portal, but Beauregard Parish coverage should be checked with the clerk or in the portal directly. |
| Remote appearance | The Thirty-Sixth Judicial District Court offers Zoom video conferencing for either division, with court approval required before joining. |
| Website | beauregardclerk.org. Call the clerk if the site is unavailable. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Beauregard Parish, make a working list of the decedent's assets, debts, heirs, legatees, and any original testament. The filing path can change depending on whether there is immovable property, whether administration is needed, and whether everyone with an interest agrees.
Sunset supports estate settlement by helping families look for accounts and assets across more than 2,300 financial institutions, then organizing what is found so the local succession packet is based on a fuller picture.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Successions for Beauregard Parish are filed with the Beauregard Parish Clerk of Court at 200 West 2nd Street in DeRidder. The Thirty-Sixth Judicial District Court serves Beauregard Parish only, so Beauregard filings do not go to another parish.
Louisiana venue is based on domicile. A proceeding to open a succession is brought in the district court of the parish where the decedent was domiciled at death. If the decedent was not domiciled in Louisiana, the succession may be opened in a parish where Louisiana immovable property is located, or where movable property is located if there is no Louisiana immovable property (La. C.C.P. art. 2811).
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the death certificate, the original testament if there is one, asset information, debt information, names and addresses of heirs or legatees, and any documents showing title to immovable property.
- Decide the succession route before filing. The local filing may involve a small succession affidavit, possession without administration, administration, or independent administration, depending on the facts and the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure.
- Prepare the petition or affidavit for filing with the Beauregard Parish Clerk of Court in DeRidder. Clerk staff can accept filings and payments, but they cannot choose the route or draft the petition for you.
- Pay the advance cost deposit requested by the Clerk of Court. The deposit is drawn against costs, and the clerk may require additional costs as the matter proceeds (La. R.S. 13:842).
- If there is an original testament, deliver the original in paper form. Louisiana law permits the original testament to be filed in paper form, and the clerk retains a probated or filed original testament in perpetuity (La. C.C.P. arts. 253, 2911).
- For an uncontested matter, the clerk of court may probate an unopposed testament and confirm or appoint a succession representative when the law allows. The clerk issues letters testamentary or letters of administration after qualification (La. C.C.P. arts. 282, 283, 3159).
- If administration is opened, the succession representative gathers and preserves property, prepares an inventory or sworn detailed descriptive list when required, and seeks court authority before paying estate debts unless an exception applies (La. C.C.P. arts. 3191, 3241, 3301).
- Close the succession with a judgment of possession signed by the court, then handle any needed recordation for immovable property and collect certified copies needed by banks, title companies, or other holders.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Beauregard Parish
Louisiana does not use a statewide succession form set. A succession usually begins with a petition or affidavit drafted to fit the facts and the Code of Civil Procedure.
The Thirty-Sixth Judicial District Court forms page lists divorce, adult name-change, change-of-address, and interpreter or language-services materials, but no succession forms. Because the Beauregard Parish Clerk of Court is the filing office, call the clerk before filing to ask whether the office is currently using any local checklist, formatting preference, or filing instruction for successions.
Local nuance
Beauregard Parish-specific considerations
| Local point | What to do |
|---|---|
| Clerk and court contacts are separate | File succession papers with the Beauregard Parish Clerk of Court at 200 West 2nd Street in DeRidder. Do not use the Thirty-Sixth Judicial District Court chambers phone or mailing address as the filing contact. |
| Sole-parish district | The Thirty-Sixth Judicial District Court serves Beauregard Parish only. There is no sibling parish for filing or routing purposes. |
| Zoom requires approval | The Thirty-Sixth Judicial District Court offers Zoom video conferencing, but its published instruction says to obtain the court's approval before joining by video. Ask about this only if a hearing or conference is set. |
| Local legal-help routes | The court's litigant-resources page names Acadiana Legal Service Corporation in Lake Charles, Southwest Louisiana Law Center in Lake Charles, and a Lake Charles-area lawyer referral service as resources for Beauregard Parish litigants. |
Recent updates
| Change | What it means |
|---|---|
| Small succession ceiling changed effective August 1, 2026 | Act 293 raised the Louisiana-domiciled small succession ceiling to $200,000 under La. C.C.P. art. 3421. Use current law rather than older handouts. |
| Attorney filing rule effective January 1, 2026 | La. C.C.P. art. 253 now governs attorney filing methods and preserves a paper route for original testaments covered by the statute. |
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Beauregard Parish path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by identifying whether the home is community property and whether the decedent left descendants. Louisiana's surviving-spouse usufruct over the decedent's share of community property can affect the judgment of possession (La. C.C. art. 890). | Sunset helps organize title clues, mortgage information, accounts, and family details so the estate settlement plan can be reviewed before filing in DeRidder. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If the decedent was domiciled in Louisiana and the gross value fits the current small succession rule, the child may be looking at a small succession affidavit. The Louisiana-domiciled ceiling is $200,000 effective August 1, 2026 (La. C.C.P. art. 3421). | Sunset helps find accounts, prepare an asset list, and connect the family with local guidance if the affidavit route is uncertain. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of immovable property often points toward administration or independent administration before a judgment of possession, especially if debts, title, or buyer requirements make a simple possession filing impractical. | Sunset helps collect account information, property details, debts, and contact information for heirs so an attorney can evaluate the sale path quickly. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Beauregard Parish Clerk of Court | Filing office for succession papers, advance cost deposits, certified copies, and clerk-issued letters when ordered or authorized. | 200 West 2nd Street, DeRidder, LA 70634. Mail: P.O. Box 100, DeRidder, LA 70634. Phone (337) 463-8595. Fax (337) 462-3916. |
| Thirty-Sixth Judicial District Court | Publishes local court information, forms for non-succession matters, litigant resources, and the Zoom video-conference instruction requiring court approval. | 36jdc.com |
| Acadiana Legal Service Corporation | Free civil legal help for low-income Louisianians, subject to eligibility and case priorities. Succession representation is not advertised. | Lake Charles office named for Beauregard litigants: One Lakeshore Drive, Suite 800, Lake Charles, LA 70629, (337) 439-0377. Toll-free intake 1-866-275-2572. |
| Southwest Louisiana Law Center | Reduced-fee legal assistance for eligible clients. Succession services are not specifically listed for this page. | 1011 Lakeshore Drive, Suite 402, Lake Charles, LA 70605, (337) 477-7194. |
| LouisianaLawHelp.org | Statewide legal-information site with topics for estates, wills, and guardianships, legal-aid organization lookup by parish, and online help tools. | louisianalawhelp.org |
| Law Library of Louisiana | Research resource operated by the Louisiana Supreme Court, including self-represented-litigant guides and legal research materials. | lasc.org and lasc.libguides.com |
When to hire an attorney
A Louisiana succession attorney is especially useful when the estate includes immovable property, a testament, forced heirship issues, disputes among heirs or legatees, debts that require court authority to pay, a sale during administration, or a nonresident succession representative who needs a Louisiana agent for service of process. When legal help is needed for estate settlement, Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help families identify accounts, balances, and clues that shape the succession path in Beauregard Parish.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information families need for a Louisiana succession packet, including asset lists, debt details, heir and legatee information, and documents to review before filing.
Find a local probate attorney. If the facts call for legal guidance, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Louisiana attorney who understands succession practice and local filing expectations.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset's estate settlement tools help families move from scattered paperwork to a clearer plan without charging families to get started.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file a succession in Beauregard Parish?
File with the Beauregard Parish Clerk of Court at 200 West 2nd Street in DeRidder. The Thirty-Sixth Judicial District Court serves Beauregard Parish only.
What phone number should I call for a Beauregard Parish succession filing?
Call the Beauregard Parish Clerk of Court at (337) 463-8595. The court's chambers contact is separate and should not be used as the filing contact.
How much is the advance cost deposit in Beauregard Parish?
Call the Clerk of Court for the current deposit. Louisiana successions use advance cost deposits, and the current Beauregard Parish amount was not available from a live clerk fee page during the August 2026 review.
Does Beauregard Parish have local probate forms?
Louisiana has no statewide succession form set. The Thirty-Sixth Judicial District Court forms page lists no succession form, and the Clerk of Court should be called before filing to ask whether any local checklist or instruction is currently used.
Can I e-file a Beauregard Parish succession?
Louisiana's attorney filing rule is in La. C.C.P. art. 253. Self-represented filers should ask the Beauregard Parish Clerk of Court what filing methods the office accepts for succession papers.
Can the original testament be filed electronically?
The original testament should be handled carefully because Louisiana law permits it to be filed in paper form and the clerk retains a probated or filed original testament in perpetuity (La. C.C.P. arts. 253, 2911). Ask the clerk how to deliver it safely.
Can I attend a Beauregard Parish succession hearing by Zoom?
The Thirty-Sixth Judicial District Court offers Zoom video conferencing for either division, but its instruction requires court approval before joining by video. Many uncontested successions proceed without a hearing, so ask only if a setting is issued.
Can I look up a Beauregard Parish succession online?
Louisiana has the eClerksLA portal, but Beauregard Parish coverage should be checked directly with the clerk or in the portal. Do not assume the portal will show every filing or image.
Shaped by the families we've helped
Thank you to the thousands of families who have trusted Sunset to help settle their loved ones' estates. This page is shaped by the questions they actually asked and the obstacles they actually hit — and that hard-won experience is what keeps it accurate, current, and genuinely useful to the families who come next.