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East Feliciana Parish, LA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | East Feliciana Parish details |
|---|---|
| Court | Twentieth Judicial District Court |
| Filing office | East Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court |
| Courthouse address | 12305 St. Helena Street, Clinton, LA 70722 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Drawer 599, Clinton, LA 70722 for USPS. Use 12305 St. Helena Street, Clinton, LA 70722 for UPS and FedEx. |
| Phone | (225) 683-5145 |
| Fax | (225) 683-3556 |
| Hours | 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., each weekday |
| Filing fee | $400.00 succession advance deposit, effective April 1, 2025, per the East Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court schedule |
| Local forms | No succession-specific form or checklist is published |
| E-filing | As of January 1, 2026, mail and fax filings by attorneys are no longer accepted. The clerk directs filings to in-person paper submission or electronic submission through eClerksLA. The statewide attorney rule is La. C.C.P. art. 253(B)(2). |
| Case search | The clerk links its Online Database to eClerksLA. The parish page does not say whether succession documents appear there. |
| Remote appearance | Ask the clerk when a matter is set. The Twentieth Judicial District does not publish a civil audio-visual rule in its appendix, and La. C.C.P. art. 195.1 has conditions for remote appearances in certain civil proceedings. |
| Website | https://www.eastfelicianaclerk.org/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Clinton, build a clear inventory of what the decedent owned, what was owed, and which assets need a court-signed judgment of possession or letters testamentary, letters of administration, or letters of independent administration. East Feliciana Parish estate settlement can move faster when the petition matches the bank, title, and immovable property issues from the start.
Sunset's estate settlement process includes asset discovery across more than 2,300 financial institutions, which helps families find accounts, loans, and policies before choosing a succession route or asking a local attorney to prepare the filing.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Successions for East Feliciana Parish are filed with the East Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court at 12305 St. Helena Street in Clinton. The matter is heard in the Twentieth Judicial District Court, which also serves West Feliciana Parish, but an East Feliciana filing stays with the East Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court in Clinton.
Venue is based on the decedent's 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, venue may be in a parish where the decedent had immovable property, 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 and debt information, family information, and the original testament if one exists.
- Choose the local filing path with counsel if needed: a small succession affidavit, possession without administration, administration, or independent administration. The petition should be drafted to Louisiana law and filed for East Feliciana Parish in Clinton.
- File the petition and related pleadings with the East Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court. The clerk's office receives and files civil, family, probate, juvenile, adoption, lawsuit, succession, and criminal pleadings and enters each succession proceeding on a docket.
- Pay the East Feliciana Parish succession advance deposit. The published deposit is $400.00, effective April 1, 2025. Additional costs can be required as costs are incurred under the advance-cost structure (La. R.S. 13:842(A)).
- If there is an original testament, submit it in paper form. Louisiana allows the original testament to be filed in paper form, and the clerk retains the original of a probated or filed-and-executed testament in perpetuity (La. C.C.P. arts. 253(B)(3)(a), 2911).
- Use the clerk's local filing options. For attorneys, East Feliciana Parish no longer accepts mail or fax filings after January 1, 2026. The clerk directs filings to in-person paper submission or electronic filing through eClerksLA, consistent with the statewide attorney filing rule (La. C.C.P. art. 253(B)(2)).
- For an uncontested testament or appointment, the clerk of court may probate an unopposed testament and confirm or appoint a succession representative, including an executor or administrator, when there is no opposition (La. C.C.P. art. 282). Contested matters go to the court.
- After the representative qualifies, the clerk issues letters testamentary, letters of administration, or letters of independent administration, as applicable (La. C.C.P. art. 3159).
- Prepare the inventory or sworn detailed descriptive list, handle debts and administration steps with required court authority, and move the succession toward possession as soon as advisable (La. C.C.P. arts. 3191, 3197, 3301).
- Ask the court to sign the judgment of possession. When immovable property is involved, record the judgment or other appropriate instrument where the property records require it.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in East Feliciana Parish
East Feliciana Parish does not publish a succession-specific form, checklist, or local petition packet. A Louisiana succession is generally opened by a petition drafted to the Code rather than by completing a parish form set.
The clerk's site publishes information for land records, recording fees, birth and death certificates, court filings, civil fees, criminal filing fees, civil court dates, elections, marriage licenses, appearance bonds, and office policies. It does not publish a succession page or succession packet. Call the East Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court at (225) 683-5145 before filing to confirm the office's current submission requirements.
Fees
The East Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court publishes a succession advance deposit of $400.00, effective April 1, 2025. The schedule labels the amount as an advance deposit and states that the listed advance deposits include statutory judicial fees provided in La. R.S. 13:10.3.
An advance deposit is not a statewide succession filing fee. Costs draw against the deposit, and the clerk may require additional costs when the original advance deposit is exhausted (La. R.S. 13:842(A)). Call the clerk before filing if the matter is contested, requires service, or includes unusual requests.
Local nuance
East Feliciana Parish-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for an East Feliciana Parish succession |
|---|---|
| Shared judicial district | The Twentieth Judicial District Court serves East Feliciana Parish and West Feliciana Parish. East Feliciana successions are still filed with the East Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court in Clinton. |
| Division rotation | The Twentieth Judicial District has Divisions A and B, and civil sitting weeks alternate between the two Felicianas. This affects which division may handle a matter, not where the filing is made. |
| Attorney mail and fax cutoff | East Feliciana Parish states that attorney mail and fax filings are no longer accepted after January 1, 2026. The clerk directs submissions to in-person paper filing or eClerksLA. |
| Mailing method | Use P.O. Drawer 599, Clinton, LA 70722 for USPS. Use 12305 St. Helena Street, Clinton, LA 70722 for UPS and FedEx. |
| Remote appearance | The Twentieth Judicial District appendix does not publish a civil audio-visual rule. If a hearing is set, ask the clerk how La. C.C.P. art. 195.1 and the division's practice apply. |
Recent updates
| Date | Change | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| April 1, 2025 | East Feliciana Parish's civil advance deposit schedule lists a $400.00 succession advance deposit, effective April 1, 2025. | Families filing in Clinton should budget for the parish's published advance deposit and confirm whether additional costs apply. |
| January 1, 2026 | East Feliciana Parish states that attorney mail and fax filings are no longer accepted after January 1, 2026. Louisiana's attorney filing rule appears in La. C.C.P. art. 253(B)(2). | Attorneys use in-person paper filing or eClerksLA. Self-represented filers should call the clerk before mailing anything. |
| August 1, 2026 | Act 293 changed the Louisiana-domiciled small succession ceiling to $200,000 under La. C.C.P. art. 3421. | Older materials may use prior figures. Use the current statute when deciding whether a small succession affidavit may fit. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely East Feliciana Parish path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home in East Feliciana Parish | Start by identifying community property and separate property. If descendants survive, the spouse may have a usufruct over the decedent's share of community property to the extent not disposed of by testament, and the judgment of possession may be needed to update title (La. C.C. arts. 2336, 890). | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts, and title issues so the estate settlement plan reflects both the home and the financial assets. |
| Out-of-state adult child handling a small succession | If Louisiana property is involved, check whether the small succession affidavit rules fit. For a Louisiana-domiciled decedent, the ceiling is $200,000 under La. C.C.P. art. 3421. For a nonresident decedent's ancillary succession, the ceiling is $125,000 under La. C.C.P. art. 3421. | Sunset helps organize asset values and can help the family decide whether to seek an attorney for a Clinton filing or affidavit review. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's succession when a home must be sold | A sale of immovable property often points toward administration or independent administration before the final judgment of possession, especially if debts, co-owners, or buyer title requirements are involved. | Sunset helps gather institution responses, prepare the estate settlement packet, and connect the family with a Louisiana succession attorney when the sale needs court-ready documents. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| East Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court | Receives and files succession pleadings, collects advance deposits, issues letters after qualification, and maintains the docket. Staff cannot give legal advice. | 12305 St. Helena Street, Clinton, LA 70722. Phone (225) 683-5145. Fax (225) 683-3556. |
| Southeast Louisiana Legal Services | Provides help with uncontested successions and wills for income-eligible people in its service area, including East Feliciana Parish. | 1-844-244-7871 |
| LouisianaLawHelp.org | Statewide legal information site with an Estates, Wills, And Guardianships topic and a parish-searchable legal aid directory. | https://louisianalawhelp.org/ |
| Law Library of Louisiana | Research resource operated by the Louisiana Supreme Court for people looking for legal information and self-represented litigant materials. | https://www.lasc.org |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a Louisiana succession attorney if there is immovable property, a testament, forced-heirship questions, creditor disputes, a nonresident representative, an urgent sale, or any disagreement among heirs or legatees. East Feliciana Parish filings use Louisiana civil-law succession vocabulary and local clerk procedures, so a lawyer can help match the petition to the correct route and the Clinton filing requirements. 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 bank, investment, insurance, retirement, loan, and credit relationships before filing in East Feliciana Parish.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family's information into an organized estate settlement packet that can be used to brief a Louisiana succession attorney and prepare the documents needed for the chosen route.
Find a local probate attorney. When a succession needs legal drafting, court filings, or help with immovable property, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Louisiana attorney familiar with succession practice.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset helps families organize estate settlement tasks, locate assets, and understand next steps without charging families for the core service.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file a succession in East Feliciana Parish?
File with the East Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court at 12305 St. Helena Street in Clinton. The case is heard in the Twentieth Judicial District Court, which also serves West Feliciana Parish, but East Feliciana filings stay with the East Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court.
What is the East Feliciana Parish succession filing fee?
The East Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court publishes a $400.00 succession advance deposit, effective April 1, 2025. The amount is a parish advance deposit, not a statewide total. Additional costs can be required as costs are incurred (La. R.S. 13:842(A)).
Does East Feliciana Parish have local succession forms?
No succession-specific form, checklist, or petition packet is published by the East Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court. A succession is generally opened by a petition drafted to Louisiana law. Call (225) 683-5145 to confirm current filing requirements before submitting documents.
Can attorneys e-file a succession in East Feliciana Parish?
Yes. The clerk directs electronic filings through eClerksLA and states that attorney mail and fax filings are no longer accepted after January 1, 2026. Louisiana's statewide attorney filing rule is La. C.C.P. art. 253(B)(2). The original testament is handled separately in paper form and retained by the clerk if probated or filed and executed (La. C.C.P. arts. 253(B)(3)(a), 2911).
Can I look up an East Feliciana Parish succession online?
The clerk links its Online Database to eClerksLA. The local site does not state whether East Feliciana succession documents appear there, so use the portal as a starting point and call the clerk if you need a specific docket or document.
Are remote appearances available for East Feliciana Parish successions?
The Twentieth Judicial District does not publish a civil audio-visual rule in its appendix. Louisiana law allows remote appearance in certain civil proceedings with conditions, including written notice at least ten days before the hearing and available court technology, unless the court declines for good cause (La. C.C.P. art. 195.1). Ask the clerk when a hearing is set.
Do I have to travel to Clinton for an East Feliciana Parish succession?
It depends on the filing and whether any hearing is set. Attorneys have local eClerksLA and in-person filing routes, while self-represented filers should call the clerk before mailing documents. If an original testament exists, Louisiana law treats it as a paper original that the clerk keeps if it is probated or filed and executed.
Which legal aid program serves East Feliciana Parish?
Southeast Louisiana Legal Services serves East Feliciana Parish and states that it helps with uncontested successions, subject to eligibility. Its intake line is 1-844-244-7871.
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.