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Catahoula Parish, LA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Local information |
|---|---|
| Court | Seventh Judicial District Court, serving Catahoula Parish and Concordia Parish |
| Filing office | Catahoula Parish Clerk of Court |
| Courthouse address | 301 Bushley Street, Room 101, Harrisonburg, LA 71340 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 654, Harrisonburg, LA 71340 |
| Phone | (318) 744-5497 |
| Fax | (318) 744-5488 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except legal holidays |
| Advance deposit | The clerk's civil fee schedule, effective August 1, 2017, lists a $400 advance deposit for succession filings grouped with executory process, tutorship and garnishment matters, and a separate $300 deposit for a small succession. Confirm the current amount before filing. |
| Local succession forms | No succession-specific form or checklist is listed among the clerk's downloadable forms. |
| E-filing | The Catahoula Parish site does not address civil e-filing for self-represented filers. Attorneys are governed by the January 1, 2026 filing rule in La. C.C.P. art. 253(B)(2). The original testament is handled in paper form under La. C.C.P. arts. 253(B)(3)(a) and 2911. |
| Case search | The clerk links to eClerksLA, but the Catahoula page does not list which record types are included or whether succession filings appear there. |
| Remote appearance | Seventh Judicial District Court Rule 3.5, effective December 10, 2025, allows audio-visual appearance in civil matters with the presiding judge's permission under stated conditions. |
| Website | https://catahoulaclerk.com/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a succession path in Catahoula Parish, list the assets, debts, accounts, immovable property, vehicles and community property issues. Estate settlement is faster when you know whether the matter needs a succession representative, can move toward possession without administration, or may qualify for a small succession affidavit under Louisiana law.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps families find accounts and property before they prepare filings for the Catahoula Parish Clerk of Court. That asset picture also helps you decide what to ask the clerk, the attorney, or the court before estate settlement paperwork is submitted.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Successions for Catahoula Parish are filed with the Catahoula Parish Clerk of Court at the courthouse in Harrisonburg and heard in the Seventh Judicial District Court. The Seventh Judicial District also serves Concordia Parish, but a Catahoula Parish succession is not filed in Concordia 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 the decedent's 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, asset information, debt information, community property details and the original testament if one exists.
- Decide the Louisiana succession route before filing. The common paths are a small succession affidavit, possession without administration, administration, or independent administration. The right path depends on the assets, debts, heirs, legatees and whether a succession representative is needed.
- Prepare the petition or affidavit for the chosen route. Catahoula Parish does not list a succession-specific local form, so pleadings are prepared to fit Louisiana law and the facts of the estate.
- File the opening papers with the Catahoula Parish Clerk of Court at 301 Bushley Street, Room 101, Harrisonburg. Pay the advance deposit listed by the clerk, currently shown on the posted schedule effective August 1, 2017 as $400 for a succession filing and $300 for a small succession.
- If there is an original testament, handle it in paper form. Louisiana law allows an original testament to be delivered in paper form, and the clerk retains the original in perpetuity once it is probated or ordered filed and executed (La. C.C.P. arts. 253(B)(3)(a), 2911).
- For an uncontested matter, the clerk of court may probate an unopposed testament and confirm or appoint a succession representative where Louisiana law allows it (La. C.C.P. arts. 282, 283). If a document needs a judge's signature, ask the clerk whether the Seventh Judicial District's chambers-delivery rule applies to that paper.
- After qualification, the clerk issues letters testamentary, letters of administration, or letters of independent administration, depending on the appointment and the regime (La. C.C.P. art. 3159).
- Complete the inventory or sworn detailed descriptive list, address debts with court authority when required, and administer the property under the authority granted.
- When the succession is ready to close, ask the court for a judgment of possession. If immovable property is involved, record the judgment or other required documents in the appropriate property records after signature.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Catahoula Parish
Catahoula Parish does not list a succession-specific petition, affidavit template or checklist on the clerk's forms page. The forms listed there are organized under conveyance and mortgage, marriage, civil and criminal headings, and the civil items do not include a succession packet.
The Louisiana Civil Case Reporting Form listed by the clerk is tied to tort litigation under Louisiana court rules. It is not a Catahoula succession form.
Because Louisiana succession filings are drafted to the Code rather than selected from a single state packet, review the facts first and use counsel when heirs, creditors, immovable property, forced heirship, community property or a sale will affect the filing.
Fees
The Catahoula Parish Clerk of Court's civil fee schedule, effective August 1, 2017, lists a $400 advance deposit for succession filings in the same line as executory process, tutorship and garnishment matters. The same schedule lists a separate $300 advance deposit for a small succession, effective August 1, 2017.
These are advance deposits, not a statewide total. Costs are charged against the deposit, and additional costs can be required under Louisiana's advance-cost structure (La. R.S. 13:842). The posted Catahoula schedule predates the August 1, 2026 change to the small-succession eligibility ceiling under La. C.C.P. art. 3421, so treat the fee amount and the eligibility rule as separate issues and confirm the current deposit before filing.
Local nuance
Catahoula Parish-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Catahoula filing |
|---|---|
| Shared judicial district | Catahoula Parish shares the Seventh Judicial District Court with Concordia Parish, but Catahoula succession filings go through the Catahoula Parish Clerk of Court in Harrisonburg. |
| Two divisions | The Seventh Judicial District sits in divisions that serve Catahoula and Concordia. Do not assume that a shared district changes the filing counter for a Catahoula succession. |
| Succession papers for signature | The Seventh Judicial District's local rule says successions may be delivered directly to the judge's chambers. Use that as a routing point for papers needing signature, and ask the clerk how the court wants the document presented. |
| Audio-visual appearance rule | Rule 3.5, effective December 10, 2025, allows audio-visual appearance in civil matters with permission from the presiding judge, platform approval and the conditions stated in the rule. |
| Dated fee schedule | The posted civil fee schedule, effective August 1, 2017, lists the $400 succession advance deposit and $300 small succession advance deposit. Confirm current charges before filing. |
| No local succession packet | The clerk's forms page does not list a succession-specific form or checklist. |
Recent updates
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| August 1, 2026 | Act 293 updated Louisiana's small-succession law by raising the Louisiana-domiciled gross-value ceiling to $200,000 under La. C.C.P. art. 3421. Catahoula Parish's posted $300 small succession advance deposit is from a fee schedule effective August 1, 2017 and should not be read as the eligibility rule. |
| January 1, 2026 | Louisiana's filing rule for attorneys took effect under La. C.C.P. art. 253(B)(2). The Catahoula Parish site does not give separate self-represented e-filing instructions. |
| December 10, 2025 | The Seventh Judicial District Court's Rule 3.5 on audio-visual appearance became effective for civil matters, subject to the judge's permission and the rule's conditions. |
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Catahoula Parish path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start with community property and the surviving spouse's usufruct. If the home is immovable property in Catahoula Parish, the succession papers and any judgment of possession need to support later property recording. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts and property details before the family asks for possession or administration. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Check whether Louisiana's small succession affidavit rules fit the assets, domicile and testament facts. If a Catahoula filing is needed, use the Catahoula Parish Clerk of Court for local filing and deposit questions. | Sunset helps organize asset information and can help generate the estate settlement packet for attorney review or filing. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of immovable property often points toward administration or independent administration so the succession representative has authority to act before the judgment of possession. | Sunset helps surface assets, prepare next-step documents and connect the family with local counsel when a sale or title issue is involved. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Catahoula Parish Clerk of Court | Accepts filings, states current deposits, issues certified copies and maintains the succession record. Staff cannot choose a legal route or draft pleadings for you. | 301 Bushley Street, Room 101, Harrisonburg, LA 71340. Phone: (318) 744-5497. Fax: (318) 744-5488. |
| Acadiana Legal Service Corporation | Free civil legal help for low-income Louisianians in its service area, subject to eligibility and case priorities. It does not advertise succession representation. | 1-866-275-2572 |
| LouisianaLawHelp.org | Public legal information site with an Estates, Wills, And Guardianships topic area and a legal aid directory searchable by parish. | https://louisianalawhelp.org/ |
| Law Library of Louisiana | Louisiana Supreme Court law library with legal information for self-represented litigants. | https://www.lasc.org |
When to hire an attorney
Consider counsel for a Catahoula Parish succession when there is immovable property, a home sale, creditors, a contested testament, missing heirs, forced heirship, community property questions, a nonresident succession representative, or uncertainty about whether the Seventh Judicial District's chambers-routing practice applies to a filing. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families look for accounts, property and liabilities before the Catahoula Parish succession is filed, so the estate settlement plan starts with a clearer asset picture.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset can help assemble the information needed for the succession packet, including heirs, legatees, assets, debts and the documents an attorney or filer will review before submission.
Find a local probate attorney. When Catahoula Parish succession issues call for legal help, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Louisiana attorney familiar with estate settlement.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize the next steps, understand the local filing path and move from asset discovery to a practical succession plan without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file a succession in Catahoula Parish?
File with the Catahoula Parish Clerk of Court at 301 Bushley Street, Room 101, Harrisonburg, LA 71340. Catahoula Parish is in the Seventh Judicial District Court, which also serves Concordia Parish, but a Catahoula succession is filed in Harrisonburg.
Does Catahoula Parish have local succession forms?
No succession-specific form or checklist is listed on the Catahoula Parish Clerk of Court forms page. Louisiana succession pleadings are usually prepared to match the facts of the estate and the route being requested.
What is the filing deposit for a Catahoula Parish succession?
The posted Catahoula Parish civil fee schedule, effective August 1, 2017, lists a $400 advance deposit for a succession filing and a $300 advance deposit for a small succession. Confirm the current amount with the clerk before filing.
Can I search a Catahoula Parish succession online?
The clerk links to eClerksLA, but the Catahoula page does not list which record types are included or whether succession filings appear there. Call the clerk if you need to know whether a specific succession can be viewed through the portal.
Can a Catahoula Parish succession be e-filed?
The Catahoula Parish site does not give civil e-filing instructions for self-represented filers. Attorneys are governed by La. C.C.P. art. 253(B)(2), effective January 1, 2026. An original testament is handled in paper form under La. C.C.P. arts. 253(B)(3)(a) and 2911.
Will I need a hearing in Catahoula Parish?
Many Louisiana succession requests are handled on the papers, especially uncontested matters. If a hearing is set, ask the clerk or the assigned division about the setting, the papers needed and whether any remote request is appropriate.
Can I appear remotely in the Seventh Judicial District Court?
Seventh Judicial District Court Rule 3.5, effective December 10, 2025, allows audio-visual appearance in civil matters with the presiding judge's permission when the rule's conditions are met. Louisiana law also includes a ten-day written-notice procedure for certain civil proceedings that do not require witness testimony or evidence, subject to the court's technology and good-cause limits (La. C.C.P. art. 195.1).
Do I have to travel to Concordia Parish because the Seventh Judicial District serves both parishes?
No. A Catahoula Parish succession is filed with the Catahoula Parish Clerk of Court in Harrisonburg. Concordia Parish is the sibling parish in the same judicial district, not the filing location for a Catahoula matter.
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.