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Plaquemines Parish, LA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Local detail |
|---|---|
| Court | The Twenty-Fifth Judicial District Court |
| Filing office | Plaquemines Parish Clerk of Court |
| Courthouse address | Belle Chasse Annex, 301 Main Street, Suite 108, Belle Chasse, LA 70037 Main Courthouse, 18055 Highway 15, Pointe a la Hache, LA 70082 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 40, Belle Chasse, LA 70037-0040. Do not mail filings to the Pointe a la Hache courthouse address. |
| Phone | (504) 934-6610 |
| Fax | (504) 934-6629 |
| [email protected] | |
| Hours | Belle Chasse Annex: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Main Courthouse at Pointe a la Hache: 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. |
| Filing fee | The clerk publishes Civil Suit Advance Deposit amounts, including petition with no service, $250.00, published August 24, 2026, and petition with one service, $350.00, published August 24, 2026. The office does not label a succession-specific deposit, so call before filing. |
| Local forms | No local succession forms are published. |
| E-filing | COTTFile is the local civil and criminal e-filing vendor. Beginning January 1, 2026, fax filing ended and attorney filings are submitted electronically or in person on paper. |
| Case search | The parish E-Search portal provides free guest access to civil, land and criminal indices, with paid access to scanned document images. |
| Remote appearance | Ask the clerk when a civil or succession matter is set. The local audio-visual rule found for the district addresses criminal proceedings, not successions. |
| Website | https://clerk25th.com/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a succession route in Plaquemines Parish, list the decedent's accounts, debts, vehicles, immovable property and any community property interests. Estate settlement is easier to route when you know whether there is an original testament, whether an administration is needed, and whether any immovable property must be recorded through the clerk.
Sunset can search across more than 2,300 institutions to help identify accounts and assets before filing. That asset picture helps you decide what to ask the Plaquemines Parish Clerk of Court, what information your attorney needs, and whether the estate settlement can proceed without a contested hearing.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Plaquemines Parish successions are filed with the Plaquemines Parish Clerk of Court and heard in the Twenty-Fifth Judicial District Court. Plaquemines Parish is the sole parish in that judicial district, so filings stay with this parish's own clerk rather than a neighboring parish.
The clerk operates from the Belle Chasse Annex at 301 Main Street, Suite 108, Belle Chasse, and the Main Courthouse at 18055 Highway 15 in Pointe a la Hache. Use P.O. Box 40, Belle Chasse, LA 70037-0040 for mail to either location.
Louisiana venue is based on the decedent's domicile. A succession is opened in the district court of the parish where the decedent was domiciled at death; for a nonresident decedent, venue can be 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, account information, debt information, vehicle titles and immovable property descriptions before you file.
- Decide the succession route with counsel or careful legal review. Louisiana routes can include a small succession affidavit, possession without administration, administration, or independent administration, depending on the testament, heirs, legatees, debts and property.
- Prepare the petition and supporting papers for the Twenty-Fifth Judicial District Court. Plaquemines Parish does not publish a local succession packet, so the pleadings must be drafted for the facts of the estate.
- File with the Plaquemines Parish Clerk of Court, most conveniently at the Belle Chasse Annex. If filing by mail, use P.O. Box 40, Belle Chasse, LA 70037-0040, and do not mail to the Pointe a la Hache courthouse address.
- Pay the advance cost deposit. The clerk publishes civil petition deposit amounts, but does not label a succession-specific amount, so call the clerk before filing to confirm the amount due.
- If an attorney files, use COTTFile or in-person paper filing under the local January 1, 2026 practice and La. C.C.P. art. 253(B)(2). The original testament is handled on paper and retained by the clerk in perpetuity (La. C.C.P. art. 253(B)(3)(a); La. C.C.P. art. 2911).
- For an uncontested testament or appointment, the clerk may probate an unopposed testament and confirm or appoint a succession representative when there is no opposition (La. C.C.P. art. 282). The duty judge rotates monthly and presides over confirmations during that duty month.
- After qualification, the clerk issues letters testamentary, letters of administration, or letters of independent administration, as applicable (La. C.C.P. art. 3159).
- Administer the estate by preparing the inventory or sworn detailed descriptive list, addressing debts with the court authorization required by Louisiana procedure, and gathering any documents needed for transfer or sale.
- Close by presenting the judgment of possession for the court to sign. If immovable property is involved, record the judgment with the Plaquemines Parish Clerk of Court so the conveyance records reflect the transfer.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Plaquemines Parish
The Plaquemines Parish Clerk of Court does not publish local succession forms. Its published forms list includes items such as in forma pauperis materials, recording requests, credit card authorization forms, mortgage and conveyance materials, UCC materials, trade name materials, marriage license materials, passport materials and vital records applications, but not succession petitions, succession affidavits or a local succession checklist.
Louisiana succession filings are usually drafted pleadings rather than a fill-in statewide packet. Before filing in Plaquemines Parish, call the clerk to ask what filing copies, proposed orders, advance deposit and recording steps the office wants for the route you plan to use.
Fees
The Plaquemines Parish Clerk of Court publishes the following Civil Suit Advance Deposit amounts. The office does not label which line applies to a succession petition, so confirm the exact deposit before filing.
| Filing item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Petition with one service | $350.00, published August 24, 2026 |
| Petition with temporary restraining order or rule | $350.00, published August 24, 2026 |
| Executory process | $450.00, published August 24, 2026 |
| Each additional defendant or service | $100.00, published August 24, 2026 |
| Petition with no service | $250.00, published August 24, 2026 |
| Subsequent pleadings with one service | $200.00, published August 24, 2026 |
| Interdiction, including recording costs | $1,000.00, published August 24, 2026 |
These are advance deposits. Actual costs are drawn from the deposit, and additional costs may be requested as the proceeding continues under Louisiana advance-cost rules (La. R.S. 13:842).
Local nuance
Plaquemines Parish-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Two clerk locations | The Belle Chasse Annex is the primary business location and is open until 4:30 p.m. The Main Courthouse is in Pointe a la Hache and is open until 4:00 p.m. |
| Mail goes to Belle Chasse | Use P.O. Box 40, Belle Chasse, LA 70037-0040 for mail to either office. The clerk instructs filers not to send mail to the Pointe a la Hache courthouse address. |
| Monthly duty judge | The Twenty-Fifth Judicial District Court duty judge rotates monthly and presides over defaults and confirmations during the duty month, including confirmation issues in an uncontested succession. |
| COTTFile rollout | The clerk uses COTTFile for civil and criminal e-filing. Beginning January 1, 2026, fax filing ended and attorney filings are submitted electronically or in person on paper. |
| Parish E-Search portal | Plaquemines Parish runs its own E-Search portal with free guest access to civil, land and criminal indices and paid access to scanned images. The clerk's description does not separately name successions. |
| Name caution | Plaquemines Parish and Pointe a la Hache are not the city of Plaquemine, which is in a different parish. |
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, effective August 1, 2026 (La. C.C.P. art. 3421). |
| Attorney filing rule effective January 1, 2026 | Louisiana attorney filings are governed by the January 1, 2026 filing rule in La. C.C.P. art. 253(B)(2), with paper handling preserved for the original testament under La. C.C.P. art. 253(B)(3)(a). |
| Plaquemines COTTFile practice effective January 1, 2026 | The Plaquemines Parish Clerk of Court states that COTTFile is the vendor for civil and criminal e-filing and that fax filing ended beginning January 1, 2026. |
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Plaquemines Parish path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by identifying community property and the decedent's share. Louisiana community property and usufruct rules can affect whether the spouse receives ownership outright or holds a usufruct over the decedent's share (La. C.C. art. 890; La. C.C. art. 2336). | Sunset helps find accounts, organize asset details and prepare information your attorney can use for the petition and judgment of possession. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If the decedent was domiciled in Louisiana and the gross value fits the small succession rule, the $200,000 ceiling applies effective August 1, 2026 (La. C.C.P. art. 3421). File or record in Plaquemines Parish only if venue and property location point here. | Sunset helps identify assets before the affidavit or petition is prepared, reducing the chance that an account is missed. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of immovable property often requires administration or independent administration before a judgment of possession and recording. File with the Plaquemines Parish Clerk of Court and confirm the deposit before filing. | Sunset helps assemble the asset list, generate a filing packet and connect the family with a local succession attorney. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Plaquemines Parish Clerk of Court | Filing office for succession pleadings, deposits, recordation and court-issued letters. Staff can provide filing logistics, not legal advice. | Belle Chasse Annex, 301 Main Street, Suite 108, Belle Chasse, LA 70037. Phone (504) 934-6610. Website: https://clerk25th.com/ |
| 25th Judicial District Court Self-Help Site | The clerk refers self-represented litigants to the district self-help site. Review any succession materials carefully and confirm filing logistics with the clerk. | www.25thjdcselfhelp.com |
| Southeast Louisiana Legal Services | Income-eligible Plaquemines Parish residents may seek free civil legal help. SLLS states that it helps with uncontested successions, subject to eligibility. | Statewide intake for its service area: 1-844-244-7871. Website: https://slls.org/ |
| LouisianaLawHelp.org | State legal information site with topics for estates, wills and guardianships, legal aid organization search by parish and online legal help tools. | https://louisianalawhelp.org/ |
When to hire an attorney
Succession counsel is especially helpful in Plaquemines Parish when the family needs to sell immovable property, there is an original testament, heirs or legatees disagree, a nonresident succession representative must appoint a Louisiana agent, a succession representative needs letters, or the deposit and filing route are unclear. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help families identify bank, investment, retirement and insurance accounts that may be part of estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information needed for a Louisiana succession, including heirs, assets, debts and documents your attorney may need for Plaquemines Parish filings.
Find a local probate attorney. When a succession needs legal work, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Louisiana attorney familiar with local filing practice.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, find assets and understand next steps without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file a succession in Plaquemines Parish?
File with the Plaquemines Parish Clerk of Court for the Twenty-Fifth Judicial District Court. The Belle Chasse Annex is the primary business office, and all mail goes to P.O. Box 40, Belle Chasse, LA 70037-0040.
Do I use the Belle Chasse Annex or the Pointe a la Hache courthouse?
The clerk operates both locations. The Belle Chasse Annex has the longer published day, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Main Courthouse at Pointe a la Hache is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Do not mail filings to the Pointe a la Hache courthouse address.
How much is the Plaquemines Parish succession filing deposit?
The clerk publishes civil petition deposit amounts, including petition with no service, $250.00, published August 24, 2026, and petition with one service, $350.00, published August 24, 2026. The clerk does not label a succession-specific line, so call (504) 934-6610 before filing.
Does Plaquemines Parish have local succession forms?
No local succession forms are published by the Plaquemines Parish Clerk of Court. A succession filing is usually prepared as pleadings tailored to the estate, the testament if any, the heirs or legatees and the property.
Can attorneys e-file succession pleadings in Plaquemines Parish?
The clerk uses COTTFile for civil and criminal e-filing. Beginning January 1, 2026, fax filing ended and attorney filings are submitted electronically or in person on paper. The original testament is handled on paper and retained by the clerk in perpetuity under Louisiana procedure (La. C.C.P. art. 253(B)(3)(a); La. C.C.P. art. 2911).
Can I look up a Plaquemines Parish succession online?
The parish E-Search portal offers free guest access to civil, land and criminal indices and paid access to scanned document images. The clerk's description names civil indices but does not separately name succession filings, so use the portal as an index starting point and call the clerk for document access questions.
Can I attend a Plaquemines Parish succession hearing remotely?
Ask the clerk when the matter is set. Louisiana procedure allows remote appearance by written notice in certain non-evidentiary civil proceedings when the court has the technology and does not decline for good cause (La. C.C.P. art. 195.1), but no Plaquemines civil or succession-specific remote rule is published in the local materials described here.
Will every Plaquemines Parish succession have a hearing?
Not always. Many uncontested Louisiana succession steps are handled by petition, order and judgment rather than a live hearing, while contested matters or evidentiary issues may be set by the court.
Is Plaquemines Parish the same place as Plaquemine?
No. Plaquemines Parish uses the Belle Chasse Annex and the Main Courthouse at Pointe a la Hache. Plaquemine is a city in a different parish.
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.