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St. Helena Parish, LA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | Twenty-First Judicial District Court |
| Filing office | St. Helena Parish Clerk of Court |
| Courthouse address | 369 Sitman St. #101, Greensburg, LA 70441 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 308, Greensburg, LA 70441 |
| Phone | (225) 222-4514. The clerk does not publish a separate succession line. |
| Fax | (225) 222-3443. Fax filing is no longer accepted effective January 1, 2026. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Filing fee | The clerk's current published August 2026 charge lists Successions at $300.00, with no separate effective date printed. The same listing separately prices completing a small succession affidavit at $125.00, with no separate effective date printed. |
| Local forms | No local succession petition template or checklist is published. |
| E-filing | St. Helena names ClerkConnect and eClerksLA for civil and criminal e-recording and e-filing. Attorneys file electronically or deliver paper filings under La. C.C.P. art. 253. The original testament is delivered in paper form and retained by the clerk under La. C.C.P. art. 2911. Self-represented filers should call the clerk before filing. |
| Case search | The clerk names ClerkConnect and eClerksLA, but does not state what a St. Helena Parish succession search returns. Call (225) 222-4514 about a specific succession. |
| Remote appearance | The Twenty-First Judicial District Court publishes per-division Zoom links. For non-evidentiary civil proceedings, 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 when the matter is set. |
| Website | St. Helena Parish Clerk of Court website and Twenty-First Judicial District Court website |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Louisiana succession route, list the decedent's immovable property, bank and investment accounts, vehicles, debts, community property, separate property, and any testament. St. Helena Parish publishes a local succession charge, but the filing route still depends on the assets, the family structure, and whether anyone needs authority to sell or collect property.
Sunset's estate settlement platform can search across more than 2,300 institutions for accounts and assets, then organize what you find into a practical succession packet for the St. Helena Parish Clerk of Court or a local attorney.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Successions for St. Helena Parish are filed with the St. Helena Parish Clerk of Court at 369 Sitman St. #101 in Greensburg. The case is heard in the Twenty-First Judicial District Court, which also serves Livingston and Tangipahoa Parishes, but a St. Helena Parish filing stays with the St. Helena Parish Clerk of Court in Greensburg.
Louisiana 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, the succession may be opened in a parish where Louisiana immovable property is situated, or where movable property is situated if there is 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.
- Choose the Louisiana route before filing: a small succession affidavit, possession without administration, administration, or independent administration. This choice affects whether anyone needs letters testamentary, letters of administration, or letters of independent administration.
- Prepare the petition or affidavit for the St. Helena Parish Clerk of Court. St. Helena Parish does not publish a local succession petition template or checklist.
- File with the St. Helena Parish Clerk of Court at 369 Sitman St. #101 in Greensburg, by an accepted electronic route, or by another method the clerk confirms. Fax filing is not accepted effective January 1, 2026.
- Pay the clerk's current published August 2026 succession charge of $300.00, with no separate effective date printed. If the matter uses the clerk's small succession affidavit completion service, the same current published listing shows $125.00, with no separate effective date printed.
- Deliver the original testament in paper form if there is one. The clerk retains a probated or filed-and-executed original testament in perpetuity (La. C.C.P. art. 2911).
- In an uncontested matter, the clerk of court may probate an unopposed testament and confirm or appoint the succession representative under La. C.C.P. arts. 282 and 283. If authority is needed, the clerk issues letters testamentary, letters of administration, or letters of independent administration after qualification (La. C.C.P. art. 3159).
- Prepare the inventory or sworn detailed descriptive list, address debts through the proper court process, and complete any administration needed to collect or sell assets.
- Ask for the judgment of possession when the succession is ready to close. The court signs the judgment of possession, and immovable property documents may need to be recorded in the proper conveyance records.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in St. Helena Parish
St. Helena Parish does not publish a local succession petition template, local succession checklist, or succession packet. The clerk's website does publish the local charges for a succession and for completing a small succession affidavit, and the office can confirm filing logistics at (225) 222-4514.
Louisiana does not use a statewide succession form set. A succession petition is drafted to the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure, and the correct documents depend on whether the matter is a small succession affidavit, possession without administration, administration, or independent administration.
Fees
The St. Helena Parish Clerk of Court's current published August 2026 civil fee listing names a specific succession charge: Successions, $300.00. The listing does not print a separate effective date for that line.
The same current published August 2026 listing separately prices completing a small succession affidavit at $125.00. That is a local dollar charge for completing the affidavit, not an estate-value ceiling, and the listing does not print a separate effective date for that line.
Louisiana clerk charges operate as advance costs, and the clerk may require additional costs as work is performed (La. R.S. 13:842). Call (225) 222-4514 before filing if your packet includes service, certified copies, recordation, or other add-ons.
Local nuance
St. Helena Parish-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a St. Helena Parish succession |
|---|---|
| Shared judicial district | St. Helena Parish shares the Twenty-First Judicial District Court with Livingston and Tangipahoa Parishes, but St. Helena Parish successions are filed with the St. Helena Parish Clerk of Court in Greensburg. |
| No fax filing | Effective January 1, 2026, the clerk no longer accepts fax filings. Use an accepted electronic route or bring pleadings to the clerk. |
| Local succession charges | The clerk's current published August 2026 listing shows Successions at $300.00 and completing a small succession affidavit at $125.00, with no separate effective date printed for either line. |
| Video conference portal | The Twenty-First Judicial District Court publishes per-division Zoom links, but the court does not publish a St. Helena succession-specific eligibility rule. Ask about remote participation when a hearing is actually set. |
| Legal aid area | St. Helena Parish is in Southeast Louisiana Legal Services' area. SLLS states that it helps eligible people with uncontested successions. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed |
|---|---|
| St. Helena fax filing change | Effective January 1, 2026, the St. Helena Parish Clerk of Court no longer accepts fax filings. Filers use an accepted electronic route or bring pleadings to the clerk. |
| Louisiana attorney filing rule | Effective January 1, 2026, attorney filings are handled under La. C.C.P. art. 253, which allows electronic filing through an approved system or paper delivery in person. The original testament remains a paper filing under La. C.C.P. arts. 253 and 2911. |
| Small succession ceiling update | Act 293 of 2026, effective August 1, 2026, raised the Louisiana-domiciled small succession ceiling to $200,000 under La. C.C.P. art. 3421. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely St. Helena 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 there are descendants, the surviving spouse's usufruct over the decedent's share may matter under La. C.C. art. 890. The St. Helena Parish filing is made in Greensburg. | Sunset helps find accounts, organize property information, and prepare questions for a Louisiana succession attorney before estate settlement decisions are made. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small succession | Confirm domicile, Louisiana property, and whether the matter fits La. C.C.P. art. 3421, including the $200,000 Louisiana-domiciled ceiling effective August 1, 2026. If a filing is needed for St. Helena Parish property or a St. Helena domiciliary succession, use the Greensburg clerk's office. | Sunset helps the child gather institution records, identify missing assets, and assemble the affidavit or attorney packet without starting from a blank page. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of immovable property often points toward administration or independent administration so a succession representative can obtain authority and complete the sale. The filing starts with the St. Helena Parish Clerk of Court. | Sunset helps build the asset inventory, organize debts and title questions, and connect the family with a local probate attorney for the sale and judgment of possession. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| St. Helena Parish Clerk of Court | Accepts St. Helena Parish filings, quotes posted charges, and maintains court records. Staff can explain filing logistics but cannot choose a succession route for you. | 369 Sitman St. #101, Greensburg, LA 70441. Mailing address P.O. Box 308, Greensburg, LA 70441. Phone (225) 222-4514. |
| Twenty-First Judicial District Court | Publishes court calendars, self-representation links, orders and forms, and a video conference portal for divisions serving Livingston, St. Helena, and Tangipahoa Parishes. | Use the court's website and confirm hearing instructions when your matter is set. |
| Southeast Louisiana Legal Services | Free civil legal help for eligible people in its 22-parish area, including St. Helena Parish. SLLS states that it helps with uncontested successions. | Intake 1-844-244-7871. |
| LouisianaLawHelp.org | Public legal information site with an Estates, Wills, And Guardianships topic area and a legal aid directory searchable by parish. | Visit LouisianaLawHelp.org. |
| Law Library of Louisiana | Research guides and self-represented-litigant materials from the Louisiana Supreme Court's law library. | Use the Law Library of Louisiana website as a research resource, not as legal advice. |
When to hire an attorney
A Louisiana succession attorney is especially helpful when the family disagrees, the testament is unclear, a home or other immovable property must be sold, heirs live outside Louisiana, forced heirship or usufruct questions are present, or someone needs letters testamentary, letters of administration, or letters of independent administration. Sunset connects families with a vetted attorney when estate settlement needs legal work.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help families locate bank accounts, investments, insurance, retirement accounts, and other assets that may belong in the succession.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns asset information, family details, debts, and document uploads into an organized estate settlement packet you can review with a Louisiana attorney or use to prepare for the St. Helena Parish Clerk of Court.
Find a local probate attorney. When a succession needs legal work, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted attorney who understands Louisiana successions, judgment of possession practice, and local filing logistics.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, find assets, and get matched with help without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file a succession for St. Helena Parish?
File with the St. Helena Parish Clerk of Court at 369 Sitman St. #101 in Greensburg. St. Helena Parish is in the Twenty-First Judicial District Court with Livingston and Tangipahoa Parishes, but a St. Helena Parish succession is filed in Greensburg.
What is the St. Helena Parish succession filing fee?
The clerk's current published August 2026 listing shows Successions at $300.00, with no separate effective date printed. The same listing separately shows $125.00 to complete a small succession affidavit, with no separate effective date printed.
Can I e-file a St. Helena Parish succession?
St. Helena Parish names ClerkConnect and eClerksLA for civil and criminal e-recording and e-filing. Attorneys file electronically or deliver paper filings under La. C.C.P. art. 253. Self-represented filers should call (225) 222-4514 to confirm what the clerk will accept.
Can I fax a succession filing to the St. Helena Parish Clerk of Court?
No. Effective January 1, 2026, the clerk no longer accepts fax filings. Use an accepted electronic route or bring pleadings to the clerk.
What happens to the original testament in St. Helena Parish?
The original testament is delivered in paper form. If it is probated or ordered filed and executed, the clerk retains the original in perpetuity under La. C.C.P. art. 2911.
Does St. Helena Parish publish local succession forms?
No local succession petition template or checklist is published. Louisiana successions are usually prepared as pleadings under the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure, based on the route the family is using.
Can I appear by video for a St. Helena Parish succession hearing?
The Twenty-First Judicial District Court publishes per-division Zoom links. For a non-evidentiary civil proceeding, 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 about the correct division and remote instructions when a hearing is set.
Can I look up a St. Helena Parish succession online?
The clerk names ClerkConnect and eClerksLA, but does not state what a St. Helena Parish succession search returns. Call (225) 222-4514 if you need to locate a specific succession record.
Do I have to travel to Greensburg to handle estate settlement?
Not every succession requires a hearing, and some filings may be handled through accepted electronic filing routes or by counsel. Because St. Helena Parish no longer accepts fax filings and the clerk does not publish every self-represented filing option, call (225) 222-4514 before making travel plans.
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.