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Terrebonne Parish, LA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Terrebonne Parish information |
|---|---|
| Court | Thirty-Second Judicial District Court |
| Filing office | Terrebonne Parish Clerk of Court, Civil Processing Department, basement level |
| Courthouse address | 7856 Main Street, Houma, LA 70360 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 1569, Houma, LA 70361-1569 |
| Phone | (985) 868-5660 |
| Fax | (985) 868-5143 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. No lunch closure or filing cutoff is published. |
| Advance cost deposit | The clerk of court's civil advance-cost schedule revised November 8, 2024 lists a $200 deposit for the office's small succession band and a $400 deposit for the office's large succession band. The deposit is not a final total, and the clerk can require more when costs draw against it (La. R.S. 13:842). |
| Local forms | No Terrebonne Parish succession form, template, checklist or cover sheet is published. |
| E-filing | The clerk of court offers civil e-filing through its online filing portal and publishes electronic-filing rules adopted May 12, 2025. Attorneys are governed by the filing rule in La. C.C.P. art. 253. Self-represented filers should ask the Civil Processing Department how to submit a succession petition. |
| Case search | The clerk of court runs a subscription public records search with civil docket products, and also points users to a free statewide portal for land, civil, criminal and marriage records. The Terrebonne online docket products are index and docket information, not full document images. |
| Remote appearance | Ask the clerk when the matter is set. La. C.C.P. art. 195.1 allows written notice at least ten days before certain non-evidentiary civil hearings, subject to the court's technology and good-cause written denial. |
| Website | https://terrebonneclerk.org |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Houma, make a working list of the decedent's assets, debts, account holders, real estate and any original testament. The Terrebonne Parish Clerk of Court collects an advance cost deposit when the succession is opened, so knowing whether the matter needs a succession representative, a sworn detailed descriptive list or recordation helps you ask the right fee questions.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps families find accounts before choosing an estate settlement path. That matters in Terrebonne Parish because the petition, the deposit and the eventual judgment of possession all depend on what property exists and who is entitled to receive it.
Which court handles jurisdiction
One courthouse complex in Houma serves the whole parish for successions: 7856 Main Street, Houma, LA 70360. File with the Terrebonne Parish Clerk of Court, Civil Processing Department, in the basement. The Civil Records Department on the first floor pulls existing civil and succession records for viewing, and the Recording Department on the first floor handles recordation when immovable property is involved.
Terrebonne Parish is the only parish of the Thirty-Second Judicial District (La. R.S. 13:477). A succession is opened 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 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 clerk's offsite locations do not replace the Civil Processing Department for a succession filing. The Goode Street location handles elections, jury and passports by appointment, and the Church Street location handles birth and death certificates. A certified death certificate is often the first document gathered for a succession, but the petition is filed at the Main Street courthouse.
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the certified death certificate, account and property information, and the original testament if there is one. Terrebonne Parish vital records services are at 310 Church Street, while the succession filing is made at the Main Street courthouse.
- Choose the Louisiana succession route before filing. The local filing office does not provide a Terrebonne Parish succession form, so the petition must be drafted for the correct route under Louisiana law.
- File the petition with the Terrebonne Parish Clerk of Court, Civil Processing Department, in the basement at 7856 Main Street, Houma, or ask the office about submitting the filing through its online filing portal. The clerk's electronic-filing rules were adopted May 12, 2025.
- Pay the advance cost deposit at filing. The clerk's civil advance-cost schedule revised November 8, 2024 lists a $200 deposit for the office's small succession band and a $400 deposit for the office's large succession band, and the Civil Processing Department states that no civil pleading is filed and no service is completed without the proper advance deposit.
- Submit the original testament in paper form when there is one. Louisiana filing law preserves a paper route for an original testament (La. C.C.P. art. 253), and the clerk of court retains the original testament in perpetuity after it is probated or ordered filed and executed (La. C.C.P. art. 2911).
- The clerk of court publicly allots the new civil case to one of the court's five divisions immediately after filing. Terrebonne Parish divisions are lettered A through E.
- For an uncontested matter, the clerk of court may handle unopposed statutory acts allowed by Louisiana law, and a rotating Civil Duty Judge in the Thirty-Second Judicial District Court handles routine uncontested matters including probate of a testament (La. C.C.P. arts. 282 and 283).
- If a succession representative is confirmed or appointed, the clerk of court issues letters testamentary, letters of administration or letters of independent administration as the case requires (La. C.C.P. art. 3159).
- File the inventory or sworn detailed descriptive list when the succession route requires it. The Terrebonne Parish advance-cost schedule revised November 8, 2024 lists a $75 filing amount for a sworn detailed descriptive list.
- Administer the succession. When there is an administration, debts are paid with court authorization unless a statutory exception applies (La. C.C.P. art. 3301).
- Ask the court to sign the judgment of possession when the succession is ready to close. After administration, judgment of possession is governed by La. C.C.P. art. 3381.
- Record the judgment or other instrument with the Recording Department on the first floor if immovable property is involved. The clerk's Recording Department states that original recorded documents are not returned, so certified copies are the way to obtain a returned proof document.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Terrebonne Parish
Terrebonne Parish does not publish a succession petition, succession checklist, local cover sheet or small succession affidavit form. The clerk's form pages cover domestic abuse, expungement, business-name, marriage-officiant, cancellation, release and vital-record items, but not successions.
The Thirty-Second Judicial District Court's self-help site also does not publish succession forms. It does publish an in forma pauperis application that may matter if a filer cannot pay the advance deposit. The site describes that request as a fee delay rather than a true waiver, and the judge can deny it.
Call the Civil Processing Department at (985) 868-5660 before filing to ask what the office wants submitted with the petition and what the current deposit will be. Court staff can answer filing and records questions, but the clerk's office states that it cannot give legal advice.
Fees
The Terrebonne Parish Clerk of Court uses an advance-cost schedule for civil matters, not a single final charge. The schedule revised November 8, 2024 lists a $200 deposit for the office's small succession band and a $400 deposit for the office's large succession band. Those are deposits, and costs can draw against them under La. R.S. 13:842.
The same schedule revised November 8, 2024 lists a $75 filing amount for a sworn detailed descriptive list. The clerk's Civil Processing Department states that no civil pleading is filed and no service is completed without the proper advance deposit. The clerk's electronic-filing rules adopted May 12, 2025 also allow rejection of an electronic filing for insufficient advance deposit funds.
For records and copies, the civil fee schedule revised November 8, 2024 lists a $15 per-name civil records search, certified copies at $5 plus $1 per page, ordinary copies at $1 per page and conformed copies at $3. The Terrebonne subscription public records portal also lists printing at $1 per page as of August 2026.
If paying the deposit is a problem, the Thirty-Second Judicial District Court self-help site publishes an in forma pauperis application. The site describes it as a fee delay, not a guaranteed fee waiver, and says the judge can deny the request.
Local nuance
Terrebonne Parish-specific considerations
Terrebonne Parish alone composes the Thirty-Second Judicial District, so there is no neighboring parish filing counter for a Terrebonne succession. The filing office is the Terrebonne Parish Clerk of Court in Houma.
The court has five divisions, A through E. New civil matters are publicly allotted by the clerk of court immediately after filing. The district also uses a weekly rotating Civil Duty Judge for routine uncontested matters, including probate of a testament, and the rotation information is furnished to the clerk of court so callers can be told which section is handling uncontested matters that week.
Wayfinding matters at the Main Street courthouse. Civil Processing, where successions are filed, is in the basement. Civil Records, where existing civil and succession records are pulled for viewing, is on the first floor. Recording, where immovable-property instruments are recorded, is also on the first floor.
Carnival week can affect courthouse planning. The Thirty-Second Judicial District Court lists the Monday before Mardi Gras as a local holiday in addition to legal holidays, and Mardi Gras Day is also a legal holiday.
The City Court of Houma is a different court. Successions are filed in the Thirty-Second Judicial District Court through the Terrebonne Parish Clerk of Court, not at City Court of Houma.
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Terrebonne Parish path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by identifying community property and separate property. In Louisiana, each spouse owns a present undivided one-half interest in community property (La. C.C. art. 2336), and the surviving spouse may have a usufruct over the decedent's share of community property when descendants survive (La. C.C. art. 890). If the home is in Terrebonne Parish, the judgment of possession or other transfer instrument will usually need recordation in Houma. | Sunset helps identify accounts, mortgages and property details before the petition is drafted, then helps organize the estate settlement packet for local filing. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | If the decedent was domiciled in Louisiana and the property fits the small succession rules, the current Louisiana-domiciled ceiling is $200,000 as of August 1, 2026 (La. C.C.P. art. 3421). Terrebonne's clerk schedule revised November 8, 2024 lists a $200 deposit for the office's small succession band. Ask the clerk how it wants the papers submitted if you are not filing through local counsel. | Sunset helps determine what institutions hold assets, assemble values and connect you with a Louisiana attorney if the paperwork or distance makes local help practical. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale usually requires clear authority before closing. Depending on who inherits and whether debts or sale authority are needed, a succession representative and administration, including possible independent administration, may be more practical than a possession-only filing. File the petition with Civil Processing in Houma and expect recordation steps if Terrebonne immovable property is involved. | Sunset organizes debts, assets and sale-related documents so the attorney can decide what authority is needed and prepare the Terrebonne Parish filing. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Thirty-Second Judicial District Court Legal Self-Help Center | General civil self-help information for self-represented litigants, including an in forma pauperis application. It does not publish succession forms. | https://www.32ndjdcselfhelp.com |
| Southeast Louisiana Legal Services | Serves Terrebonne Parish and helps with wills, powers of attorney and uncontested successions, subject to eligibility. | Houma office: 1340 W Tunnel Blvd Suite 101, Houma, LA 70360. Local: (985) 851-5687. Toll free: (800) 256-1660. Intake: 1-844-244-7871. |
| Louisiana State Bar Association Find Legal Help | Attorney-referral and legal-help information for people who need counsel. | 1-800-421-5722 |
| Louisiana Free Legal Answers | Online question-and-answer resource for qualifying users. | https://la.freelegalanswers.org |
| LouisianaLawHelp.org | State legal-information site with sections for estates, wills and guardianships, a legal-aid directory by parish and online application links. | https://louisianalawhelp.org |
| Law Library of Louisiana | Research resource operated through the Louisiana Supreme Court system. | (800) 820-3038 |
| Terrebonne Parish Clerk of Court | Filing, records, copies, deposits and department-location questions only. The office states that it cannot give legal advice. | (985) 868-5660 |
When to hire an attorney
Counsel makes sense when a testament may be challenged, heirs do not agree, a home must be sold, an out-of-state family needs a Louisiana agent or filing help, debts require administration, or the petition must choose between possession, administration and independent administration. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions so families can identify accounts, insurance, debts and property before choosing an estate settlement path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information a Louisiana attorney or family filer needs for a Terrebonne Parish succession, including asset lists, contact details and document checklists.
Find a local probate attorney. When the matter needs Louisiana counsel, Sunset connects families with a vetted attorney who can prepare the petition and handle local filing questions in Houma.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset's estate settlement tools without paying a platform fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file a succession in Terrebonne Parish?
File with the Terrebonne Parish Clerk of Court, Civil Processing Department, in the basement at 7856 Main Street, Houma, LA 70360. Terrebonne Parish is the only parish of the Thirty-Second Judicial District (La. R.S. 13:477).
What does it cost to open a succession in Terrebonne Parish?
The clerk's civil advance-cost schedule revised November 8, 2024 lists a $200 deposit for the office's small succession band and a $400 deposit for the office's large succession band. The deposit is not a final total, and the clerk can require more as costs accrue (La. R.S. 13:842). Call (985) 868-5660 to confirm the current amount before filing.
Are there local probate forms in Terrebonne Parish?
No local succession petition, checklist, template or cover sheet is published for Terrebonne Parish. A Louisiana succession is usually opened by a petition drafted to the Code, and the Civil Processing Department can answer filing-format questions but cannot give legal advice.
Can I file a Terrebonne Parish succession online?
The clerk of court offers civil e-filing through its online filing portal and publishes electronic-filing rules adopted May 12, 2025. Attorneys are governed by La. C.C.P. art. 253. A self-represented filer should ask the Civil Processing Department how the office wants the petition submitted. The original testament is handled differently because Louisiana law allows an original testament to be submitted in paper form and the clerk keeps it in perpetuity after it is probated or ordered filed and executed (La. C.C.P. arts. 253 and 2911).
How do I look up a Terrebonne Parish succession case?
The Civil Records Department on the first floor maintains civil and succession records, pulls records for viewing and performs name searches for a fee. The civil fee schedule revised November 8, 2024 lists a $15 per-name civil records search. The clerk also runs a subscription public records search with civil docket products, but those docket products are index and docket information, not full document images.
Do I have to go to a hearing in Houma?
Many uncontested Louisiana successions proceed on filed papers rather than a live hearing. In Terrebonne Parish, a rotating Civil Duty Judge handles routine uncontested matters including probate of a testament. If a hearing is set, ask the clerk how the Thirty-Second Judicial District Court will handle appearance for that setting.
Can I appear remotely for a Terrebonne Parish succession hearing?
La. C.C.P. art. 195.1 allows a party in a civil proceeding that does not require witness testimony or introduction of evidence to give written notice at least ten days before the hearing that the party will appear by audio-visual means. The court must have the technology and may decline in writing for good cause. Ask about this when the matter is set.
What if I cannot afford the Terrebonne Parish advance deposit?
The Thirty-Second Judicial District Court self-help site publishes an in forma pauperis application. The site describes it as a fee delay rather than a guaranteed waiver, says it is generally for low-income individuals at 125 percent or less of the poverty level, and says the judge can deny the request.
Do I have to travel to Houma if I live out of state?
Not every uncontested succession requires a live appearance, and the clerk offers civil e-filing through an online filing portal. The original testament, if any, still needs paper handling under Louisiana law. If a hearing is set, ask the clerk about the court's procedure and any remote-appearance notice under La. C.C.P. art. 195.1.
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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.