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Jefferson Parish, LA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Jefferson Parish information |
|---|---|
| Court | Twenty-Fourth Judicial District Court |
| Succession filing office | Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court, Civil Department, Thomas F. Donelon Courthouse, 200 Derbigny St., Suite 2400, Gretna, LA 70053 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 10, Gretna, LA 70054-0010. Call the Civil Department before mailing a new succession packet so the deposit and copies are correct. |
| Civil phone | Civil information: (504) 364-3740. New suits: (504) 364-2967. General clerk number: (504) 364-2900. |
| [email protected] | |
| Hours | 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The court publishes holiday closures, including Lundi Gras, Mardi Gras and All Saints' Day observances. |
| Fax filing | The clerk states that fax filings have not been accepted since January 1, 2026. |
| Advance cost deposit | The clerk's succession deposit table, with no stated effective date and listed on August 24, 2026, shows $200.00 for a small succession and $400.00 for a larger succession, split at a $125,000 value line. That local deposit table should be checked against current small succession eligibility under (La. C.C.P. art. 3421) before you write the check. |
| Local forms | Yes. The clerk and the court publish an Administrator's Bond and a will safekeeping request, but not a succession petition, small succession affidavit, descriptive list or judgment of possession form. |
| E-filing | JeffNet is the clerk's electronic filing system for Twenty-Fourth Judicial District Court civil cases. The published court filing route is built around attorneys using a bar roll number. The clerk's pages do not settle whether a self-represented person may open a succession electronically. The original testament remains an original paper filing under (La. C.C.P. art. 253) and is retained in perpetuity when probated or ordered filed and executed under (La. C.C.P. art. 2911). |
| Case search | eClerksLA provides a free Jefferson civil index from May 1, 1977. JeffNet provides paid remote access to Twenty-Fourth Judicial District Court civil case activity from January 1, 1986 and case document images from 1825, including a $5.00 twenty-four hour option listed by the clerk on August 24, 2026. |
| Remote appearance | The Twenty-Fourth Judicial District Court publishes a virtual court policy adopted September 25, 2024 and video links by division. If a succession matter is set before a division, ask that division what it requires. |
| Website | Clerk: https://www.jpclerkofcourt.us/ . Court: https://www.24jdc.us/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Jefferson Parish succession route, list the decedent's assets, liabilities, account ownership, beneficiaries, the original testament if one exists, and any Jefferson Parish immovable property. Estate settlement moves faster when you know whether the case is mainly a transfer problem, a debt problem, or a title problem.
Sunset's asset discovery searches more than 2,300 financial institutions and helps turn the information into a practical succession packet. That is especially useful in Jefferson Parish because the clerk publishes deposits, records tools and bonds, but does not publish a complete petition or judgment of possession form.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Successions for Jefferson Parish are filed with the Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court at the courthouse in Gretna and are heard in the Twenty-Fourth Judicial District Court. Jefferson Parish is the only parish in the Twenty-Fourth Judicial District, so a Jefferson Parish domiciliary is not routed to a neighboring parish.
The Gretna courthouse serves the whole parish, including Gretna, Kenner, Harahan, Westwego, Grand Isle, Jean Lafitte, Metairie, Harvey and Jefferson. Louisiana venue is tied to domicile: a succession is opened in the district court of the parish where the decedent was domiciled at death, or, for a nonresident decedent, 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).
Jefferson Parish also has First Parish Court in Metairie and Second Parish Court in Gretna. Those courts appear on the clerk's site for other civil and traffic matters, but succession jurisdiction belongs to the district court because Louisiana district courts have exclusive original jurisdiction over succession matters (La. Const. art. V, § 16).
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the death certificate, the original testament if there is one, account information, debts, vehicle and financial records, and title information for any Jefferson Parish immovable property. The Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court sells Louisiana death certificates for $26.00, listed on August 24, 2026, at First Parish Court in Metairie, Second Parish Court in Gretna and Juvenile Court in Harvey, with cash, check or money order accepted for that service.
- Choose the Louisiana succession route before drafting. The local filing office is the same, but the packet differs for a small succession affidavit, possession without administration, administration or independent administration.
- File the petition with the Civil Department of the Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court, Suite 2400, Thomas F. Donelon Courthouse, 200 Derbigny St., Gretna, LA 70053. The clerk also publishes P.O. Box 10, Gretna, LA 70054-0010 and says pleadings may be filed by mail, so call civil information at (504) 364-3740 before mailing a new succession packet.
- Pay the advance cost deposit. The clerk's table, with no stated effective date and listed on August 24, 2026, shows $200.00 for a small succession and $400.00 for a larger succession, using a $125,000 value line. Act 293 of 2026 changed small succession eligibility for a Louisiana domiciliary to $200,000 effective August 1, 2026, while $125,000 remains relevant for an ancillary succession under (La. C.C.P. art. 3421), so ask the Civil Department which deposit band applies.
- Submit the original testament on paper if there is one. Attorney filings may be made in person on paper or electronically through an authorized system, but the original testament is a paper filing under (La. C.C.P. art. 253), and the clerk retains the original in perpetuity once it is probated or ordered filed and executed (La. C.C.P. art. 2911).
- After the case is opened, it is assigned to one of the court's sixteen divisions. Later pleadings go through that division's docket clerk, who also handles later cost deposits if the initial deposit runs down.
- In an unopposed matter, the clerk of court may probate the testament, confirm or appoint the succession representative and issue letters testamentary, letters of administration or letters of independent administration after qualification (La. C.C.P. arts. 282, 283, 3159). Contested issues and contradictory proceedings go to a district judge.
- If an administrator must furnish security, the court publishes an Administrator's Bond form for the Twenty-Fourth Judicial District Court. That form includes a local surety affidavit requiring the surety to reside in Jefferson Parish.
- Prepare the inventory or sworn detailed descriptive list, handle debts through the required court authority and request the judgment of possession. In an uncontested possession proceeding, the court renders and signs the judgment of possession immediately under (La. C.C.P. art. 3061).
- If Jefferson Parish immovable property is involved, record the signed judgment of possession with the Mortgage and Conveyance Department, Suite 2200, General Government Building, 200 Derbigny St., Gretna. The clerk lists $105.00 for recording a one to five page document, with no stated effective date and listed on August 24, 2026; that amount includes the $5.00 LCRAA recording fee effective August 1, 2018, indexing of up to ten names and one certified true copy.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Jefferson Parish
Jefferson Parish is a forms publishing parish, but it does not publish a complete succession packet. The clerk and the court publish an Administrator's Bond and a will safekeeping request. They do not publish a succession petition, a small succession affidavit, a descriptive list template or a judgment of possession form.
| Form or resource | How it fits a succession |
|---|---|
| Administrator's Bond | Used when an administrator must furnish security. The form is captioned for the Twenty-Fourth Judicial District Court for the Parish of Jefferson and includes a surety affidavit requiring the surety to reside in Jefferson Parish. |
| Request to Receive and Record Will | A lifetime will safekeeping request. It is not the same as filing an original testament in a succession. The safekeeping form says the paper will is not retained, while a probated or ordered filed and executed original testament is retained in perpetuity under (La. C.C.P. art. 2911). |
| Oath | A general Twenty-Fourth Judicial District Court oath form that may be used when a court filing requires an oath. |
| In forma pauperis application | A general application for a filer asking to proceed without advance payment of costs. Eligibility and approval are not automatic. |
| Louisiana civil case reporting form | The Jefferson version lists tort and damages categories, not successions. Do not treat it as a succession cover sheet. |
The clerk states that its forms are samples, intended for qualified notaries or attorneys, and that clerk staff cannot provide legal advice or assistance completing forms. The court's forms instructions say downloaded court forms must be printed on legal size paper unless the form says otherwise.
Fees
Jefferson Parish has fee details beyond the basic succession deposit. Amounts below are the Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court's published amounts as listed on August 24, 2026, unless a row states a different effective date.
| Cost item | Published amount and date |
|---|---|
| Succession advance cost deposit | $200.00 for a small succession and $400.00 for a larger succession, using a $125,000 value line in the clerk's table, with no stated effective date and listed August 24, 2026. Check the deposit with the Civil Department because current small succession eligibility is governed by (La. C.C.P. art. 3421), including the $200,000 Louisiana domiciliary line effective August 1, 2026. |
| Jefferson filing charge for civil documents | $7.00 for the first page and $5.00 for each additional page, with no stated effective date and listed August 24, 2026. |
| Certified court copy | $5.00 per copy plus copy costs, with no stated effective date and listed August 24, 2026. |
| Photocopy, not certified | $1.00 per page, with no stated effective date and listed August 24, 2026. |
| Minute entry | $5.00 each, with no stated effective date and listed August 24, 2026. |
| Recording a judgment of possession or other one to five page conveyance document | $105.00, with no stated effective date and listed August 24, 2026. The amount includes one certified true copy or e-certification, indexing of up to ten names and the $5.00 LCRAA recording fee effective August 1, 2018. |
| Names beyond ten in a recorded document | $5.00 per additional name, with no stated effective date and listed August 24, 2026. |
| JeffNet twenty-four hour access | $5.00 for twenty-four hours of access, with PDFs at $0.75 per page and certified court records at $0.75 per page plus a $5.00 certification fee, listed August 24, 2026. |
| Death certificate from the clerk | $26.00, listed August 24, 2026, payable by cash, check or money order for that service. |
Louisiana succession costs are advance deposits, not fixed final prices. Costs are charged against the deposit, and the clerk may require more when the deposit runs down (La. R.S. 13:842). Jefferson is also unusual because the clerk of the Twenty-Fourth Judicial District may charge up to twenty-five percent above the statewide ceilings for certain fees, with the additional amount dedicated to deputy clerk salaries (La. R.S. 13:841).
The Jefferson clerk publishes a helpful refund policy: although La. R.S. 13:842 excepts probate matters from the statutory inactive suit refund rule, the Jefferson clerk includes those matters in its internal refund procedures and allows a self-represented filer or attorney of record to request the unused advance deposit balance.
Local nuance
Jefferson Parish-specific considerations
| Local point | What to do with it |
|---|---|
| Two counters at 200 Derbigny Street | File a succession in Suite 2400 of the Thomas F. Donelon Courthouse. Record a judgment of possession for Jefferson Parish immovable property in Suite 2200 of the General Government Building. |
| East Bank and West Bank routing | The courthouse is in Gretna. The clerk states that Twenty-Fourth Judicial District Court filings are also accepted at First Parish Court, 924 David Drive, Metairie, but does not say whether a new succession can be opened there. Call the Civil Department before using the Metairie intake point for a new succession. |
| JeffNet day access | An out-of-state heir can use the clerk's $5.00 twenty-four hour JeffNet access, listed August 24, 2026, to review online records and images for a day and purchase PDFs or certified court records. |
| JeffWatch property alerts | The clerk offers a free property alert that emails you within twenty-four hours after a document is recorded in Jefferson Parish under a registered name. That can help while inherited immovable property remains unsold during estate settlement. |
| Fax filings | The clerk states that fax filings have not been accepted since January 1, 2026, even though older pages still show a fax charge. |
| Older civil records | Civil matters before 2004 are held at 1128 4th St., Gretna. That matters in Louisiana because successions can be opened or revisited long after death. |
| Courthouse electronics | The court's rules require electronic communication devices, including cell phones, to be turned off inside the Donelon Building unless a judge authorizes use. |
| Language access | The court publishes language assistance notices in English, Spanish and Vietnamese and lists a Language Access Coordinator at (504) 364-3990. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed |
|---|---|
| Small succession law | Act 293 of 2026, effective August 1, 2026, raised the small succession ceiling for a person who died domiciled in Louisiana to $200,000 (La. C.C.P. art. 3421). The ancillary ceiling for a decedent domiciled outside Louisiana remains $125,000. |
| Attorney filing rule | Beginning January 1, 2026, attorney filings are made in person on paper or transmitted electronically through a system established by a clerk of court or by the Louisiana Clerks' Remote Access Authority, and the original testament remains a paper original filing (La. C.C.P. art. 253). |
| Jefferson Parish fax filings | The Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court states that fax filings have not been accepted since January 1, 2026 under Act 352 of the 2025 Regular Session. |
| Virtual court policy | The Twenty-Fourth Judicial District Court adopted a written virtual court policy on September 25, 2024 and publishes video links for each division. |
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Jefferson Parish path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | This is often a community property and usufruct issue. Each spouse owns a present undivided one-half interest in the community (La. C.C. art. 2336), and only the decedent's half is in the succession. If descendants survive, the spouse may have a usufruct over the decedent's share of community property that ends on death or remarriage (La. C.C. art. 890). The judgment of possession for Jefferson Parish immovable property is recorded in Suite 2200 at 200 Derbigny Street. | Sunset helps identify mortgage, bank and investment accounts, organize title facts for the home, and build an estate settlement plan before the succession packet is drafted. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | A small succession affidavit may be the first route to review. For a person who died domiciled in Louisiana, the current ceiling is $200,000 effective August 1, 2026 (La. C.C.P. art. 3421). If Jefferson Parish immovable property is involved and the affidavit route applies, the affidavit is recorded in the conveyance records under (La. C.C.P. art. 3434). JeffNet's $5.00 twenty-four hour access, listed August 24, 2026, can reduce travel by allowing remote review of records and images. | Sunset helps locate accounts, produce a clear asset list, prepare a packet for attorney review, and connect the family with Jefferson Parish succession counsel. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of Jefferson Parish immovable property often points toward administration or independent administration so a succession representative can obtain letters and authority to act. The petition is filed in Suite 2400, any required Administrator's Bond uses the Jefferson captioned form, and sale or possession documents are recorded through Suite 2200. | Sunset helps find the child's accounts and debts, organize property information, create a document checklist, and connect the parent with a Louisiana attorney who can handle the court filing and sale authority. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it can help | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, Corp. | SLLS serves Jefferson Parish and states that it helps with uncontested successions, subject to eligibility and case priorities. The Gretna office is in the same city as the courthouse. | Statewide intake for its service area: 1-844-244-7871. Gretna office: 401 Whitney Avenue, Suite 520, Gretna, LA 70056; local (504) 374-0977; toll free (800) 624-4771. |
| Twenty-Fourth Judicial District Court Self-Help Resource Center | Provides legal information, forms tools and procedure information for self-represented litigants. Its published guided forms are family law, not succession forms, and volunteers do not provide legal advice. | Volunteer Court Navigator: (504) 881-1171, 9 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday. Email: [email protected]. |
| The Pro Bono Project | The clerk lists this organization for income eligible civil legal help. | (504) 581-4043 |
| LouisianaLawHelp.org | Statewide civil legal information site with sections for Estates, Wills, And Guardianships, a legal aid directory by parish, online application links and a Louisiana Civil Legal Navigator. | https://louisianalawhelp.org/ |
| Law Library of Louisiana | Research resource operated by the Louisiana Supreme Court, including self-represented litigant guides and wills and estates materials. | https://lasc.libguides.com/ |
| Jefferson Parish Library legal forms access | The Twenty-Fourth Judicial District Court points users to the Jefferson Parish Library for Louisiana Legal Forms access when a court form is not posted locally. | Use the Jefferson Parish Library website or ask the library about Louisiana Legal Forms access. |
| Attorney referral options listed by the clerk | The clerk lists the Louisiana State Bar Association Modest Means Panel and the New Orleans Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service. | LSBA Modest Means Panel: (504) 566-1600. NOBA Lawyer Referral Service: (504) 561-8828. |
| Language access | The court publishes interpreter and translation assistance information in English, Spanish and Vietnamese. | Language Access Coordinator: (504) 364-3990. |
Clerk and court staff can accept filings and provide procedural information, but they cannot choose a succession route, draft a petition, decide heirship or advise whether a form is legally effective.
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions and helps families identify bank, brokerage, retirement, insurance and other accounts that may affect the Jefferson Parish succession.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the estate settlement facts into an organized succession packet, including asset details, liabilities, family information and documents a Louisiana attorney can use to prepare the filing.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Jefferson Parish succession needs court filings, bond review, letters, sale authority or a judgment of possession, Sunset can connect the family with a Louisiana attorney familiar with succession practice.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, find assets and understand next steps without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file a succession in Jefferson Parish?
File with the Civil Department of the Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court, Suite 2400, Thomas F. Donelon Courthouse, 200 Derbigny St., Gretna, LA 70053. The court is the Twenty-Fourth Judicial District Court.
Is Jefferson Parish in a shared judicial district?
No. Jefferson Parish is the only parish in the Twenty-Fourth Judicial District. A succession for a Jefferson Parish domiciliary is filed with the Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court in Gretna under the venue rule in (La. C.C.P. art. 2811).
Can I e-file a Jefferson Parish succession?
JeffNet is the clerk's electronic filing system for Twenty-Fourth Judicial District Court civil cases, and the clerk's published route describes attorney filing with a bar roll number. The clerk does not state whether a self-represented person may open a succession electronically. Call the Civil Department before relying on electronic filing. The original testament is handled as a paper original under (La. C.C.P. art. 253) and retained under (La. C.C.P. art. 2911).
How much is the Jefferson Parish succession deposit?
The clerk's table, with no stated effective date and listed August 24, 2026, shows $200.00 for a small succession and $400.00 for a larger succession, using a $125,000 value line. Current eligibility for a Louisiana domiciliary small succession is set by (La. C.C.P. art. 3421), including the $200,000 figure effective August 1, 2026, so call (504) 364-3740 before filing.
Does Jefferson Parish publish succession forms?
Jefferson Parish publishes some related forms, including an Administrator's Bond and a will safekeeping request. It does not publish a complete succession petition, small succession affidavit, descriptive list or judgment of possession form.
Can I look up a Jefferson Parish succession online?
The free eClerksLA portal includes Jefferson civil indices from May 1, 1977. For images and broader access, the clerk publishes JeffNet, including Twenty-Fourth Judicial District Court civil case activity from January 1, 1986 and case document images from 1825. JeffNet also has a $5.00 twenty-four hour option, listed August 24, 2026.
Will a Jefferson Parish succession require a hearing?
Many uncontested Louisiana succession filings are handled on the papers, and an uncontested judgment of possession is signed immediately under (La. C.C.P. art. 3061). If a matter is contested or set before a division, ask the assigned division about scheduling and any video policy.
Can I attend a Jefferson Parish court setting by video?
The Twenty-Fourth Judicial District Court publishes a virtual court policy adopted September 25, 2024 and video links for each division. The policy does not promise video handling for every succession. If your matter is set, ask the assigned division what is required.
Do I have to travel to Gretna for every estate settlement task?
Not always. Records may be reviewed through eClerksLA or JeffNet, counsel can handle filings, and some documents may be mailed after you confirm the deposit and copies with the clerk. Death certificates from the Jefferson clerk are sold over the counter at Metairie, Gretna and Harvey locations, not at the Donelon Courthouse succession counter.
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.