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Concordia Parish, LA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Concordia Parish detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Seventh Judicial District Court, serving Concordia Parish and Catahoula Parish |
| Filing office | Concordia Parish Clerk of Court |
| Courthouse address | 4001 Carter Street, Room 5, Vidalia, LA 71373 |
| Mailing | Call the clerk before mailing an original testament or succession filing. |
| Phone | (318) 336-4204 |
| Fax | Not published on the clerk's public pages. |
| Hours | Open each weekday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except listed public holidays. |
| Filing fee | The clerk's undated civil schedule, current on the public site as of August 2026, lists a $300.00 advance deposit for a new civil suit with one defendant included and $75.00 for each additional defendant. The page does not name successions, so confirm the current succession deposit before filing. |
| Local forms | No local succession forms, petition templates, or checklists are published. |
| E-filing | Attorneys use the filing options allowed by La. C.C.P. art. 253. Concordia Parish does not publish a local succession e-filing vendor. A self-represented filer should call the clerk. |
| Case search | The clerk links to eClerksLA but does not describe what Concordia Parish succession information appears there. The clerk also lists an in-office record search beginning with 1983 records at $25.00 per name, as shown on the undated civil schedule current on the public site as of August 2026. |
| Remote appearance | No local remote practice is published. For a non-evidentiary civil hearing, La. C.C.P. art. 195.1 allows written notice at least 10 days before the hearing, subject to court technology and a written good-cause denial. |
| Website | http://concordiaclerk.org/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a succession path in Concordia Parish, list the assets, debts, title holders, beneficiaries, and whether property is community property or separate property. That first inventory determines whether estate settlement can move by affidavit, by possession without administration, or by administration.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery can help identify accounts and property before the first filing with the Concordia Parish Clerk of Court, so the petition, descriptive list, and judgment of possession are built around the right facts.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Concordia Parish successions are filed with the Concordia Parish Clerk of Court at the courthouse in Vidalia. The Seventh Judicial District Court also serves Catahoula Parish, but a Concordia Parish succession is filed in Vidalia, not at a Catahoula Parish filing counter.
Venue follows Louisiana law: 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 immovable property is located, or where movable property is located if the decedent owned no Louisiana immovable property (La. C.C.P. art. 2811).
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the death certificate, asset information, debt information, family information, and the original testament if one exists. The original testament is delivered in paper form, and the clerk keeps the original after it is filed and retained under La. C.C.P. art. 2911.
- Choose the Louisiana succession route before drafting. The available path depends on whether there is a testament, whether administration is needed, whether all heirs or legatees agree, and whether immovable property must be transferred or sold.
- Prepare the petition, sworn detailed descriptive list or inventory, affidavits, proposed orders, and proposed judgment of possession. Concordia Parish does not publish local succession forms, so the papers must be drafted to the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure and any local instructions the clerk gives.
- File the succession papers with the Concordia Parish Clerk of Court at 4001 Carter Street, Room 5, Vidalia. Do not route a Concordia Parish succession to Harrisonburg just because the Seventh Judicial District Court also serves Catahoula Parish.
- Pay the advance cost deposit. The clerk's undated civil schedule, current on the public site as of August 2026, lists a $300.00 new civil suit deposit with one defendant included and $75.00 for each additional defendant, but it does not name successions. Confirm the current succession deposit with the clerk before filing.
- If a testament is unopposed, the clerk of court may probate the testament and confirm or appoint the succession representative under La. C.C.P. art. 282. Contested matters go to the district judge.
- If a hearing is set, ask the clerk how the Seventh Judicial District Court wants remote appearance handled. La. C.C.P. art. 195.1 provides a written-notice procedure for some non-evidentiary civil hearings, but local technology and a possible written good-cause denial matter.
- After qualification, the clerk issues letters testamentary, letters of administration, or letters of independent administration as the case requires (La. C.C.P. art. 3159).
- The succession representative administers assets, seeks court authority where required to pay debts or sell property, and prepares the succession for closing.
- The court signs the judgment of possession when the legal requirements are met. If Concordia Parish immovable property is involved, record the judgment or other required instrument in the conveyance records so title reflects the succession result.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Concordia Parish
Concordia Parish does not publish local succession forms, petition templates, or checklists on the clerk's public site. Louisiana also does not provide a statewide succession form set for a full succession petition, so the filing is usually drafted rather than completed from a parish packet.
Before filing, call the Concordia Parish Clerk of Court at (318) 336-4204 to ask what the office wants with the petition, proposed orders, original testament if any, descriptive list or inventory, and proposed judgment of possession.
Fees
The Concordia Parish Clerk of Court publishes an undated civil advance-deposit schedule on its public site. As of August 2026, that schedule lists a $300.00 advance deposit for a new civil suit with one defendant included and $75.00 for each additional defendant. The same page lists a $25.00 per-name record search for records beginning in 1983, $75.00 for each subpoena including service, $1.00 per copy page, and $5.00 per certification.
The schedule does not use the word succession. Treat these amounts as the civil deposit structure the clerk publishes, not as a succession-specific price list, and call (318) 336-4204 for the current deposit before you file. Under La. R.S. 13:842, advance costs can be used as costs accrue, and the clerk can require additional costs when the original deposit is exhausted.
Local nuance
Concordia Parish-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means |
|---|---|
| Shared judicial district | Concordia Parish shares the Seventh Judicial District Court with Catahoula Parish, but Concordia Parish successions are filed with the Concordia Parish Clerk of Court in Vidalia. |
| Plain http website | The clerk's public website is published at http://concordiaclerk.org/. Use that address if a secure-address version does not load. |
| Undated civil deposit schedule | The public civil schedule lists a $300.00 new civil suit deposit and $75.00 for each additional defendant, as shown on the site as of August 2026, but it does not name successions. |
| Record search option | The clerk lists an in-office record search beginning with 1983 records at $25.00 per name, as shown on the undated civil schedule current on the public site as of August 2026. |
| District court site | Use the Concordia Parish Clerk of Court as the practical starting point for filing, hearing, and remote-appearance questions because no separate Seventh Judicial District Court public practice page is available to rely on here. |
Recent updates
| Change | What changed |
|---|---|
| Small succession law | Act 293 of 2026, effective August 1, 2026, raised the Louisiana-domiciled small succession amount to $200,000 under La. C.C.P. art. 3421. Parish fee pages may still use older bands, so the statute and the clerk's deposit schedule should be read separately. |
| Attorney filing rule | Beginning January 1, 2026, attorney filings are governed by La. C.C.P. art. 253, which allows filing in person in paper form or electronic transmission through a clerk system or the Louisiana Clerks' Remote Access Authority. The original testament remains a paper-deliverable document under the statute. |
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Concordia Parish path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by identifying community property and separate property. If the home is community property and descendants survive, the spouse's rights may include the usufruct over the decedent's share under La. C.C. art. 890, and the judgment of possession should match the title result needed for Concordia Parish land records. | Sunset helps collect account, debt, title, and family information so the attorney can draft the petition and judgment of possession around the right property interests. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If the decedent was domiciled in Concordia Parish, start with the Louisiana small succession affidavit rules under La. C.C.P. art. 3421 and the statewide affidavit articles. If a court filing is needed, the papers go to the Concordia Parish Clerk of Court in Vidalia. | Sunset helps organize the asset list, identify institutions to contact, and assemble information the family can use to decide whether an affidavit path or a court filing fits. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of Concordia Parish immovable property often requires administration, independent administration if granted, or a judgment of possession that puts the proper heirs or legatees in title before closing. The filing starts with the Concordia Parish Clerk of Court. | Sunset helps find accounts, prepare a probate packet for attorney review, and connect the family with a local probate attorney when a sale or administration is involved. |
Self-help resources
| Help option | How to use it |
|---|---|
| Concordia Parish Clerk of Court | Use the clerk for filing logistics, current costs, copies, certifications, and record searches. The office is at 4001 Carter Street, Room 5, Vidalia, LA 71373, and the phone number is (318) 336-4204. Staff cannot give legal advice or draft the petition. |
| Acadiana Legal Service Corporation | Low-income residents may apply for free civil legal help, subject to eligibility and case priorities. Intake is 1-866-275-2572. Ask directly what help is available for your issue. |
| LouisianaLawHelp.org | Use the Estates, Wills, And Guardianships topic area and the legal aid directory searchable by parish for public legal information and referral tools. |
| Law Library of Louisiana | Use the Louisiana Supreme Court's law library guides for self-represented litigant materials and legal information. |
When to hire an attorney
In Concordia Parish, an attorney is especially useful when the family needs a judgment of possession for immovable property, an independent administration, a sale before closing, a nonresident succession representative, a contested testament, forced-heirship analysis, or coordination with out-of-state property. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across 2,300 institutions to help families identify accounts, benefits, and financial relationships that may belong in the succession. Better asset discovery makes estate settlement less dependent on guesswork.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family's information into an organized probate packet for the Louisiana succession process, including the facts an attorney needs for petitions, descriptive lists, and the proposed judgment of possession.
Find a local probate attorney. When Concordia Parish filing, immovable property, or administration issues call for counsel, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Louisiana attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, locate assets, and understand next steps without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file a Concordia Parish succession?
File with the Concordia Parish Clerk of Court at 4001 Carter Street, Room 5, Vidalia, LA 71373. Concordia Parish is in the Seventh Judicial District Court with Catahoula Parish, but Concordia Parish filings stay with the Concordia Parish Clerk of Court in Vidalia.
Do I file in Vidalia or Harrisonburg?
File in Vidalia for a Concordia Parish succession. Harrisonburg is connected to Catahoula Parish, the other parish in the Seventh Judicial District Court, and should not be treated as the Concordia Parish filing counter.
Can I e-file a succession in Concordia Parish?
Concordia Parish does not publish a local succession e-filing vendor. Attorneys follow La. C.C.P. art. 253, and self-represented filers should call (318) 336-4204 before choosing a filing method. The original testament is one of the documents state law allows to be delivered in paper form, and the clerk retains it under La. C.C.P. art. 2911.
How much does it cost to file in Concordia Parish?
The clerk's undated civil schedule, current on the public site as of August 2026, lists a $300.00 new civil suit advance deposit with one defendant included and $75.00 for each additional defendant. The page does not name successions, so call the clerk to confirm the current succession deposit before filing.
Are there Concordia Parish succession forms?
No local succession forms, checklists, or petition templates are published by the Concordia Parish Clerk of Court. A Louisiana succession petition is usually drafted to the facts of the family, the testament if any, the assets, and the requested judgment of possession.
Can I look up a Concordia Parish succession online?
The clerk links to eClerksLA but does not say what Concordia Parish succession information appears there. The clerk also lists an in-office record search beginning with 1983 records at $25.00 per name, as shown on the undated civil schedule current on the public site as of August 2026.
Can I appear remotely for a Concordia Parish succession hearing?
No local remote practice is published. For a non-evidentiary civil hearing, La. C.C.P. art. 195.1 allows written notice at least 10 days before the hearing, subject to court technology and a written good-cause denial. Ask the clerk how the Seventh Judicial District Court wants the request handled for your setting.
Do I have to travel to Vidalia for estate settlement?
It depends on the filing path, whether an original testament must be delivered, whether a hearing is set, and whether local counsel appears for the family. Call the Concordia Parish Clerk of Court before traveling, especially if you live outside Louisiana.
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.