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St. Tammany Parish, LA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | St. Tammany Parish information |
|---|---|
| Court | Twenty-Second Judicial District Court |
| Filing office | St. Tammany Parish Clerk of Court, Civil Department |
| Courthouse address | St. Tammany Parish Justice Center, 701 N. Columbia Street, Covington, LA 70433. Civil Department, Basement Level, Elevator C. |
| Second filing office | Slidell Annex Office, St. Tammany Parish Administrative Complex, 520 Old Spanish Trail, 5th Floor, Slidell, LA 70458. The clerk says the Slidell office takes civil pleadings, new suits should be filed there by 4:00 p.m., and documents filed there are delivered to Covington for processing. |
| Mailing and courier address | Mail goes to P.O. Box 1090, Covington, LA 70434. FedEx and UPS packages go to 701 N. Columbia Street, Covington, LA 70433. |
| Phone | Main: (985) 809-8700. Civil Department: (985) 809-8733. Civil filing and costs: (985) 809-8776. Slidell: (985) 643-6969. |
| Fax | (985) 809-8777 for civil pleadings. |
| [email protected]. | |
| Hours | 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Slidell Annex and the Archives Department each close from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. daily. |
| Advance cost deposit | The clerk's July 2026 Civil Department Fees schedule, confirmed August 24, 2026, lists a $300.00 succession advance cost deposit and a $175.00 small succession advance cost deposit. Call (985) 809-8776 for a current estimate before filing. |
| Local forms | No local succession petition or checklist is published. The clerk publishes succession copy request forms and an in forma pauperis affidavit. |
| E-filing | Civil e-filing is through eClerksLA and Clerk Connect. The clerk also accepts civil pleadings by fax, mail, and hand delivery. The original testament is handled on paper under La. C.C.P. art. 253(B)(3)(a) and retained by the clerk under La. C.C.P. art. 2911. |
| Case search | Civil case records are searched through re:SearchLA. Land records are searched through Cott Record Hub, with legacy land records access available until December 31, 2026. |
| Remote appearance | The Twenty-Second Judicial District Court hears matters in person and by Zoom video conference, but audiovisual appearance requires court pre-approval. |
| Websites | Clerk: https://www.sttammanyclerk.org/. Court: https://online.22ndjdc.org/. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a succession route, make a working list of the accounts, debts, vehicles, and immovable property involved in the estate settlement. In St. Tammany Parish, immovable property matters because a signed judgment of possession is recorded with the clerk's Land Records and Recording departments, and recording charges are priced by page tier.
Also estimate the cash available for the filing deposit before you submit the petition. The St. Tammany Parish Clerk of Court says a civil pleading will not be filed without the correct advance deposit, so Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery can help identify accounts before the family starts the estate settlement process.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Successions for St. Tammany Parish are filed with the St. Tammany Parish Clerk of Court at the courthouse in Covington and heard in the Twenty-Second Judicial District Court, which also serves Washington Parish. The shared district means shared judges, not a shared filing counter. A St. Tammany succession is filed with St. Tammany's own clerk, not with the Washington Parish clerk in Franklinton.
The main filing location is the Civil Department at the St. Tammany Parish Justice Center, 701 N. Columbia Street, Covington. The clerk also accepts civil pleadings at the Slidell Annex Office, 520 Old Spanish Trail, 5th Floor, Slidell, with new suits filed there by 4:00 p.m. and delivered to Covington for processing. Call ahead if you plan to use the Slidell office.
St. Tammany Parish includes Covington, Slidell, Mandeville, Madisonville, Abita Springs, Folsom, Pearl River, Sun, and nearby unincorporated communities including Lacombe and Bush. Under Louisiana venue law, a succession is opened in the district court of the parish where the decedent was domiciled at death. For a nonresident decedent, it may be opened in a parish where 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, the original testament if there is one, account information, debts, vehicle titles, and St. Tammany immovable property information. The clerk can issue recent Louisiana death certificates over the counter to eligible applicants at the Covington Justice Center and at the Slidell Annex.
- Choose the succession route with Louisiana counsel if needed. The route may involve a small succession affidavit, possession without administration, administration, or independent administration, depending on the facts.
- Prepare the petition and supporting pleadings for filing with the St. Tammany Parish Clerk of Court, Civil Department. St. Tammany does not publish a fill-in succession petition or checklist.
- File in Covington, file at the Slidell Annex by the clerk's 4:00 p.m. new-suit instruction, e-file through eClerksLA and Clerk Connect if appropriate, fax to (985) 809-8777, or mail to P.O. Box 1090, Covington, LA 70434. A courier package goes to 701 N. Columbia Street, Covington.
- Include the advance cost deposit. The clerk's July 2026 Civil Department Fees schedule, confirmed August 24, 2026, lists $300.00 for a succession and $175.00 for a small succession, and the clerk asks filers to call (985) 809-8776 for a current estimate before filing.
- Deliver the original testament on paper when one exists. St. Tammany's e-filing instructions say some original legal documents cannot be e-filed, and Louisiana law separately treats an original testament as a paper filing item and requires the clerk to retain it in perpetuity (La. C.C.P. arts. 253(B)(3)(a), 2911).
- The matter is randomly allotted to one of the court's general jurisdiction divisions, A through J. If a hearing, motion, rule, or exception must be set, file a Docket Slip with the clerk so the allotted division can fix the time and place.
- In an unopposed matter, the clerk of court may probate an unopposed testament and confirm or appoint the succession representative, and the clerk issues letters testamentary, letters of administration, or letters of independent administration after qualification (La. C.C.P. arts. 282, 283, 3159).
- Administer the succession as required. That may include an inventory or sworn detailed descriptive list, court authority to pay debts, and any required steps before possession or sale of property.
- Close with a judgment of possession signed by the court. When St. Tammany immovable property is involved, record the signed judgment with the clerk's Land Records and Recording departments under the clerk's published recording tiers.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in St. Tammany Parish
Neither the St. Tammany Parish Clerk of Court nor the Twenty-Second Judicial District Court publishes a succession petition, succession checklist, or judgment of possession packet. A Louisiana succession is opened by pleadings drafted to the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure, not by completing a local fill-in packet.
| Local form | What it is for | Cost information printed by the clerk |
|---|---|---|
| Request for copies of civil records and successions 1986 to present | Mail-in request for modern civil and succession copies. The form can request an entire file or specific documents such as a petition or judgment. | The form states $1.00 per page, $5.00 per certified document, $10.00 for certified copy of minutes, and return postage, as printed on the January 29, 2025 form. |
| Request for copies of archival succession records | Mail-in request for older succession records held by the Archives Department, including judgments of possession, affidavits of death, and heirship materials. | The form states $1.00 per page, $10.00 per certified document, and return postage, as printed on the August 13, 2025 form. |
| In forma pauperis affidavit | Request to defer advance filing costs if the filer qualifies. The district's appendix states that the status must be renewed every twelve months. | The clerk's July 2026 schedule says deferred costs are assessed at judgment or conclusion of the matter. |
The court states that its forms are formatted for legal size paper and must be submitted to the court on legal size paper. Separate recording rules printed by the clerk require recorded documents to be captioned on the first page, use a 2 inch top margin and 1 inch side and bottom margins, use paper no larger than 8.5 by 14 inches, and use type no smaller than 8 points.
Fees
The St. Tammany Parish Clerk of Court treats succession charges as advance cost deposits. Costs draw against the deposit, and the clerk says pleadings will not be filed and no action will be taken if the deposit is depleted until an additional deposit is made. The clerk's Civil Department Fees schedule was updated in July 2026, was confirmed August 24, 2026, and should be checked by calling (985) 809-8776 before filing.
| Charge | Amount | Date and note |
|---|---|---|
| Succession advance cost deposit | $300.00 | Clerk's July 2026 Civil Department Fees schedule, confirmed August 24, 2026. |
| Small succession advance cost deposit | $175.00 | Clerk's July 2026 Civil Department Fees schedule, confirmed August 24, 2026. |
| Petition for notice of application to appoint administrator in succession | $150.00 | Clerk's July 2026 Civil Department Fees schedule, confirmed August 24, 2026. |
| Civil copy fee | $1.00 per page | Clerk's July 2026 Civil Department Fees schedule, confirmed August 24, 2026. |
| Civil certified copy fee | $5.00 per document, plus the per-page copy fee | Clerk's July 2026 Civil Department Fees schedule, confirmed August 24, 2026. |
| Civil e-certification | $5.00 flat plus a per-page copy fee | Clerk's July 2026 Civil Department Fees schedule, confirmed August 24, 2026. |
| Record search or issue certification | $15.00 | Clerk's July 2026 Civil Department Fees schedule, confirmed August 24, 2026. |
| Will filing, first page | $31.00 | Clerk's July 2026 Civil Department Fees schedule, confirmed August 24, 2026. |
| Will filing, each additional page | $5.00 | Clerk's July 2026 Civil Department Fees schedule, confirmed August 24, 2026. |
| Civil e-filing online service fee | $7.50 per submission | Clerk's e-filing guide, confirmed August 24, 2026. This is listed as a non-clerk online service fee. |
Recording a judgment of possession is a separate land records charge when immovable property is involved. The clerk's July 2026 Information Guide, confirmed August 24, 2026, lists $120.00 for a recorded document in one index type of 1 to 5 pages, $220.00 for 6 to 25 pages, $320.00 for 26 to 50 pages, and $320.00 for the first 50 pages plus $5.00 per additional page for 51 or more pages. The same guide states $5.00 per name after the tenth name and $20.00 per page for paper larger than 8.5 by 14 inches.
The clerk also collects other agency amounts on new suits. The July 2026 schedule, confirmed August 24, 2026, lists $15.00 for the Judicial Expense Fund, $32.50 for the Judges' Compensation Fund, $25.00 for the Parish Council fee on new suits, $25.00 for the Parish Council fee when a matter is set for hearing, $10.00 for the Southeast Louisiana Legal Service Fee, $25.00 for the Domestic Violence Assistance Fee, and $2.50 for the Louisiana Judicial College Fee.
Timeline
- Most uncontested St. Tammany successions are handled on the papers. A hearing is not the default expectation for an uncontested request for possession.
- If something must be set, the local mechanism is a Docket Slip. The court says all court matters are scheduled by filing a Docket Slip with the clerk, who presents the file to the assigned division so the division can fix the time and place.
- The district's local appendix states that, unless a statute provides otherwise, at least ten days' notice is required for trial on the merits and five days' notice is required on motions, rules, and exceptions.
- The clerk maintains a Filing Dates page so filers can see how current civil pleading entry, order issuing, and scanning are. On August 24, 2026, the page showed civil pleadings and e-filings being entered for filings from August 13, 2026, and new-suit scanning current to August 20, 2026. Treat that as a dated snapshot, not a promise for a future filing.
- If a matter is set for hearing, the Twenty-Second Judicial District Court hears matters in person and by Zoom video conference. The court requires pre-approval by the judge, commissioner, or hearing officer conducting the proceeding before a party or witness appears by audiovisual transmission.
Local nuance
St. Tammany Parish-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Two filing counters | The clerk staffs the Covington Civil Department and the Slidell Annex. Slidell takes civil pleadings, but new suits should be filed there by 4:00 p.m., filings are delivered to Covington for processing, and the office closes from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. daily. |
| Shared judicial district | St. Tammany and Washington Parishes share the Twenty-Second Judicial District Court. A St. Tammany succession still files with the St. Tammany Parish Clerk of Court. |
| Random civil allotment | Succession cases are allotted to one of the general jurisdiction divisions, A through J. Divisions K and L are limited to family and juvenile matters. |
| Walk-through pleadings | The district appendix says pleadings requiring a signature are presented to the division to which the case is allotted, and each general jurisdiction division has its own system for processing walk-through pleadings. |
| Where old succession records live | Modern succession records are handled through the Civil Department. Older succession records are handled through the Archives Department, which is also on the Basement Level and closes from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. daily. |
| Records systems in transition | Civil court records are searched through re:SearchLA. Land records moved to Cott Record Hub on July 27, 2026, with the legacy land records site available until December 31, 2026. A no-match result for a sealed case online is not proof that no case exists. |
| Copies by mail | The clerk publishes mail-in copy request forms for modern civil and succession records and for archival succession records. Both route payment and return postage through P.O. Box 1090, Covington, LA 70434. |
Recent updates
| Change | What changed | Effective date |
|---|---|---|
| Louisiana small successions | Act 293 of 2026 raised the Louisiana-domiciled small succession figure to $200,000 under La. C.C.P. art. 3421. The nonresident ancillary figure is $125,000 under La. C.C.P. art. 3421. | August 1, 2026. |
| Louisiana filing rule | Attorney filings are governed by the amended filing rule in La. C.C.P. art. 253, with attorney filings made in person in paper form or electronically through an authorized system, and with the original testament carved out for paper handling. | January 1, 2026. |
| St. Tammany land records portal | The clerk announced that the new online Land Records Portal on Cott Record Hub went live, with the legacy land records site available until December 31, 2026. | July 27, 2026. |
| St. Tammany legacy land records card fee | The clerk announced that credit card transactions on the legacy land records site carry a 2.75 percent processing fee. | January 1, 2026. |
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely St. Tammany path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Confirm whether the home is community property and whether the surviving spouse has a usufruct over the decedent's share. The succession usually ends with a judgment of possession, and if the home is in St. Tammany Parish the signed judgment is recorded with the clerk's Land Records and Recording departments. | Sunset helps organize the home, mortgage, accounts, and beneficiary information so the attorney can prepare the estate settlement documents and record the final judgment correctly. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Check whether the Louisiana small succession rules fit. The Louisiana-domiciled figure is $200,000 under La. C.C.P. art. 3421, effective August 1, 2026, and the nonresident ancillary figure is $125,000 under La. C.C.P. art. 3421, effective August 1, 2026. St. Tammany's copy request forms and re:SearchLA can help locate an existing file or obtain copies without starting in Covington. | Sunset helps identify accounts, collect records, and generate an organized packet for local review so an out-of-state heir does not have to start with scattered paperwork. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of St. Tammany immovable property often calls for administration or independent administration so a succession representative can receive letters and obtain authority for the sale. Anything requiring a hearing is set by Docket Slip with the clerk. | Sunset helps find the assets and debts, prepare the estate settlement file, and connect the family with a St. Tammany succession attorney when court authority or a sale is involved. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it can help | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| St. Tammany Parish Clerk of Court, Civil Department | Files new civil suits and pleadings, gives estimated costs for filings, and holds and copies succession records. | Justice Center, 701 N. Columbia Street, Covington. Civil customer service: (985) 809-8733. Filing and costs: (985) 809-8776. [email protected]. |
| Slidell Annex Office | Takes civil pleadings and provides civil customer service at the east-parish office. New suits should be filed by 4:00 p.m., and filings are delivered to Covington for processing. | 520 Old Spanish Trail, 5th Floor, Slidell. Phone: (985) 643-6969. |
| Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, Covington office | Free civil legal help for eligible low-income people in St. Tammany Parish. SLLS says it helps with wills, powers of attorney, and uncontested successions, subject to eligibility. | Intake: 1-844-244-7871. Covington office: 195 Greenbriar Blvd, Ste. 201, Covington, LA 70433. Local: (985) 893-0076. |
| Twenty-Second Judicial District Court self representation page | General court-preparation information for people appearing without a lawyer. It is not succession-specific and states that it provides legal information and resources, not legal advice. | https://online.22ndjdc.org/self-represented-litigant |
| St. Tammany Parish Clerk of Court Information Guide | Public guide updated July 16, 2026, with office locations, hours, succession deposit estimates, recording fees, death certificate information, and online records coverage. | https://www.sttammanyclerk.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Info-Guide-7-20-2026.pdf |
| LouisianaLawHelp.org | Public legal information site with sections titled Estates, Wills, And Guardianships, a legal aid organization directory searchable by parish, and online applications for free legal help. | https://louisianalawhelp.org/ |
| Law Library of Louisiana | Louisiana Supreme Court law library and research guides for people representing themselves. It is a research resource, not legal advice. | https://lasc.libguides.com/ |
The clerk's office is a filing and records office. Staff cannot give legal advice, choose the succession route, or draft the petition.
When to hire an attorney
A St. Tammany succession attorney is especially helpful when a testament must be probated, heirs or legatees disagree, a nonresident succession representative needs a Louisiana resident agent, debts require court authority before payment, or St. Tammany immovable property must be sold. Sunset connects the family to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help families find bank, investment, retirement, insurance, and loan relationships that may affect the succession and the broader estate settlement plan.
Generate the succession packet. Sunset organizes the death certificate, testament information, asset list, debts, heirs, legatees, and St. Tammany property details into a practical packet for the next filing step.
Find a local succession attorney. When a petition, letters, court authority, a property sale, or a judgment of possession is needed, Sunset can connect the family with a Louisiana attorney familiar with St. Tammany succession practice.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, understand what is missing, and decide what to hand to the clerk, a bank, or a lawyer without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file a succession in St. Tammany Parish?
File with the St. Tammany Parish Clerk of Court, Civil Department, at the St. Tammany Parish Justice Center, 701 N. Columbia Street, Covington, LA 70433. Successions are heard in the Twenty-Second Judicial District Court, which also serves Washington Parish, but a St. Tammany filing stays with the St. Tammany clerk.
Can I file a St. Tammany succession at the Slidell Annex instead of Covington?
Yes. The clerk says the Slidell Annex Office takes civil pleadings. New suits should be filed there by 4:00 p.m., documents filed there are delivered to Covington for processing, and the office closes from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. daily. Call (985) 643-6969 before relying on Slidell for a time-sensitive filing.
What does it cost to open a succession in St. Tammany Parish?
The clerk's July 2026 Civil Department Fees schedule, confirmed August 24, 2026, lists a $300.00 succession advance cost deposit and a $175.00 small succession advance cost deposit. The deposit is not a fixed total. Call (985) 809-8776 for a current estimate before filing.
Can I e-file a St. Tammany Parish succession?
St. Tammany has civil e-filing through eClerksLA and Clerk Connect, and the clerk also accepts civil pleadings by fax, mail, and hand delivery. Attorneys are covered by La. C.C.P. art. 253. The clerk does not state whether a self-represented person may open a succession electronically, so ask the Civil Department before you rely on e-filing. The original testament is handled on paper under La. C.C.P. art. 253(B)(3)(a) and retained under La. C.C.P. art. 2911.
Can I look up a St. Tammany succession online?
Civil case records are searched through re:SearchLA, and the clerk publishes civil coverage beginning in 1992 for case information and 1994 for document images. Registration and paid access may affect what you can view. Land records, including recorded judgments of possession, are searched through Cott Record Hub or the legacy land records site during the clerk's transition period.
Will there be a hearing, and can it be by Zoom?
An uncontested succession is often handled on the papers. If something must be set, the court says matters are scheduled by filing a Docket Slip with the clerk. The Twenty-Second Judicial District Court hears matters in person and by Zoom video conference, but audiovisual appearance requires pre-approval by the judge, commissioner, or hearing officer conducting the proceeding.
Are there local succession forms in St. Tammany Parish?
St. Tammany does not publish a succession petition or checklist. The clerk does publish copy request forms for civil and succession records, an archival succession copy request form, and an in forma pauperis affidavit.
Can I get certified copies without travelling to Covington?
Yes, for many requests. The clerk publishes mail-in request forms for civil and succession records and for archival succession records. The January 29, 2025 civil copy form lists $1.00 per page, $5.00 per certified document, $10.00 for certified copy of minutes, and return postage. The August 13, 2025 archival succession form lists $1.00 per page, $10.00 per certified document, and return postage.
Where can I get the death certificate for a St. Tammany succession?
The clerk acts as an agent for Louisiana Vital Records and sells certified death certificates over the counter at the Covington Justice Center and the Slidell Annex to eligible applicants. The clerk's July 2026 Information Guide, confirmed August 24, 2026, lists the charge as $26.00.
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.