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Washington Parish, LA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Washington Parish information |
|---|---|
| Court | Twenty-Second Judicial District Court, serving Washington and St. Tammany Parishes |
| Filing office | Washington Parish Clerk of Court, 908-B Washington Street, Franklinton, LA 70438 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 607, Franklinton, LA 70438 |
| Phone | (985) 839-4663 |
| Fax | Civil fax: (985) 839-2925. General fax: (985) 839-3116. Criminal fax: (985) 839-7271. |
| Hours | General civil filing hours are not listed by the clerk. Call (985) 839-4663 before visiting. |
| Filing fee | No succession advance cost deposit amount is listed by the Washington Parish Clerk of Court. Call the clerk before filing because advance costs are collected locally and may need to be replenished under La. R.S. 13:842. |
| Local forms | No Washington Parish succession-specific forms or checklist are listed. The Civil Case Reporting Form shown on the forms page is for tort suits, not successions. |
| E-filing | Washington Parish uses CottFile for civil and criminal e-filing. The clerk states that civil and criminal filings are accepted by e-file or walk-in. |
| Case search | The parish links to a CottHosting land records and property search at cotthosting.com/LAWashington. The clerk's E-Search menu item leads to a placeholder, so call the clerk for succession case information. |
| Remote appearance | The Twenty-Second Judicial District Court states that it hears matters in person and by Zoom video conference. Contact the assigned judge's office to request Zoom. |
| Website | washingtonparishclerk.org and online.22ndjdc.org |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a succession route in Washington Parish, identify the assets, debts, the original testament if one exists, and whether any immovable property will need to be transferred or sold. The local filing office does not list a succession advance cost deposit online, so knowing the asset picture helps you ask the clerk and any attorney the right questions before you file.
Sunset can support estate settlement before the courthouse step by searching across 2,300 institutions for accounts and assets, organizing what was found, and turning the information into a cleaner packet for a Louisiana succession attorney or the Washington Parish filing process.
Which court handles jurisdiction
One filing office serves Washington Parish successions: the Washington Parish Clerk of Court at 908-B Washington Street in Franklinton. Washington Parish is part of the Twenty-Second Judicial District Court with St. Tammany Parish, but a Washington Parish succession stays with the Washington Parish Clerk of Court in Franklinton.
Venue follows Louisiana's succession rule. A proceeding to open a succession is brought in the district court of the parish where the decedent was domiciled at death. For a nonresident decedent, the filing may 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, a list of heirs and legatees, asset information, debt information, and any facts about community property or separate property.
- Choose the Louisiana route before filing. The route may be a small succession affidavit, possession without administration, administration, or independent administration, depending on the testament, assets, debts, and whether a succession representative is needed.
- Prepare the succession petition or affidavit. Washington Parish does not list a succession-specific local form, and the Civil Case Reporting Form on the clerk's forms page is for tort suits rather than successions.
- File with the Washington Parish Clerk of Court in Franklinton. The clerk states that civil filings are accepted by CottFile e-file or walk-in, so call before attempting any other delivery method.
- Pay the required advance cost deposit. Washington Parish does not list a succession advance cost amount online, so confirm the current deposit with the clerk before filing.
- If there is an original testament, deliver the original in paper form. The original testament is retained by the clerk in perpetuity after it is probated or ordered filed and executed (La. C.C.P. art. 2911).
- In an unopposed matter, the clerk of court may probate an unopposed testament and may confirm or appoint a succession representative, which means an executor, administrator, provisional administrator, administrator of a vacant succession, or dative testamentary executor (La. C.C.P. arts. 282, 2826). A contested matter goes to the district judge.
- After the succession representative qualifies, the clerk issues letters testamentary, letters of administration, or letters of independent administration, as applicable (La. C.C.P. art. 3159).
- Complete the inventory or sworn detailed descriptive list, handle estate debts with the required court authority, and prepare the matter for possession or closing.
- If the court sets a hearing, ask the assigned judge's office about a Zoom request. The Twenty-Second Judicial District Court states that it hears matters in person and by Zoom video conference.
- Finish with the judgment of possession signed by the court. If immovable property is involved, record the judgment in the proper conveyance records so the land records reflect the new ownership.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Washington Parish
Washington Parish does not list a succession-specific form, petition template, or checklist. A succession is opened by a petition or affidavit drafted to Louisiana law and filed with the Washington Parish Clerk of Court.
The clerk's forms page lists other civil forms, including a Louisiana Civil Case Reporting Form. That form is tied to tort litigation under La. Dist. Ct. R. 9.6 and is not a succession form.
Local nuance
Washington Parish-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Washington Parish succession |
|---|---|
| Shared judicial district | Washington Parish shares the Twenty-Second Judicial District Court with St. Tammany Parish, but filings for Washington Parish stay with the Washington Parish Clerk of Court in Franklinton. |
| Civil filing method | The clerk states that civil filings are accepted by CottFile e-file or walk-in. Call the clerk before using any other delivery method. |
| Records search | The working local online portal is the CottHosting land records and property search. The clerk's E-Search menu item leads to a placeholder, so succession case information should be checked with the clerk. |
| Forms page caution | The Civil Case Reporting Form listed by the clerk is for tort suits and is not the form for a succession. |
| Zoom requests | The Twenty-Second Judicial District Court states that it hears matters in person and by Zoom video conference. A party who wants Zoom should contact the assigned judge's office. |
| Recording charges | For general recordations, the clerk lists $120 for 1 to 5 pages, $220 for 6 to 25 pages, and $320 for 26 to 50 pages, effective August 1, 2017. Those amounts include a $5 LCRAA Portal Fee and a $15 Washington Parish Government surcharge, effective August 1, 2017. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed |
|---|---|
| Small succession law | Act 293 of 2026 raised the Louisiana-domiciled small succession line to $200,000, effective August 1, 2026 (La. C.C.P. art. 3421). |
| Attorney filing rule | Beginning January 1, 2026, La. C.C.P. art. 253 requires attorney filings to be made in person in paper form or electronically through a clerk system or LCRAA, with the original testament still treated as a paper original. |
| Washington Parish filing route | The Washington Parish Clerk of Court states that civil and criminal filings are accepted by e-file or walk-in, using CottFile for e-filing. |
Scenarios
| Situation | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | Start by identifying what is community property and what part of the home belongs in the succession. If the matter belongs in Washington Parish, file with the Washington Parish Clerk of Court in Franklinton, and plan for the judgment of possession to be recorded if the home title must be updated. | Sunset helps gather asset details, organize title and account information, and prepare a cleaner estate settlement file for a Louisiana succession attorney. |
| Out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | If the decedent was domiciled in Louisiana, the statewide small succession line is $200,000, effective August 1, 2026 (La. C.C.P. art. 3421). For Washington Parish property or a Washington Parish domicile, confirm with the clerk how to submit the affidavit or any petition because civil filings are accepted by CottFile e-file or walk-in. | Sunset can search for accounts, help identify whether assets justify a court filing, and connect the family with a Louisiana attorney if the route is not clear. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale often requires administration or independent administration so a succession representative can act with proper authority. File the succession in Franklinton if Washington Parish is the proper venue, and ask the assigned judge's office about Zoom only if a hearing is set. | Sunset helps assemble account, debt, and property information and can introduce a vetted Louisiana succession attorney for sale authority and closing issues. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Washington Parish Clerk of Court | Accepts Washington Parish succession filings at 908-B Washington Street in Franklinton. Phone: (985) 839-4663. Civil fax: (985) 839-2925. Staff can answer office procedure questions, not legal questions. |
| Twenty-Second Judicial District Court | Serves Washington and St. Tammany Parishes. Its Online Court FAQ states that matters are heard in person and by Zoom video conference, and that a Zoom request should go to the assigned judge's office. |
| Southeast Louisiana Legal Services | Provides free civil legal help to eligible low-income residents in its service area and states that it helps with uncontested successions. Intake: 1-844-244-7871. |
| LouisianaLawHelp.org | Public legal information site with topics for Estates, Wills, And Guardianships and a legal aid directory searchable by parish. Do not rely on it for dollar figures without checking current Louisiana law. |
| Law Library of Louisiana | Research resource operated by the Louisiana Supreme Court, including guides for self-represented litigants. |
When to hire an attorney
A Louisiana succession attorney is especially useful when there is immovable property, a home sale, a contested testament, heirs who do not agree, a nonresident succession representative, creditor issues, or uncertainty about community property, usufruct, forced heirs, or independent administration. Sunset connects families to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across 2,300 institutions to help identify bank, investment, retirement, insurance, and other accounts that may affect the Washington Parish succession and the broader estate settlement plan.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information families collect into a structured packet that can support a Louisiana succession petition, small succession affidavit, attorney review, or clerk filing conversation.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal work, Sunset connects the family with a vetted Louisiana attorney who understands successions, judgment of possession practice, and Washington Parish filing logistics.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, find accounts, and prepare for the next local step without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file a succession in Washington Parish?
File with the Washington Parish Clerk of Court at 908-B Washington Street in Franklinton if Washington Parish is the proper venue. Washington Parish is in the Twenty-Second Judicial District Court, which also serves St. Tammany Parish, but Washington Parish filings stay in Franklinton.
Is Washington Parish handled by the same court as St. Tammany Parish?
Yes. Both parishes are in the Twenty-Second Judicial District Court. That shared court does not move a Washington Parish filing to St. Tammany Parish. Use the Washington Parish Clerk of Court for a Washington Parish succession.
Can I e-file a Washington Parish succession?
Washington Parish uses CottFile for civil e-filing, and the clerk states that civil filings are accepted by e-file or walk-in. Attorneys are also subject to Louisiana's January 1, 2026 filing rule in La. C.C.P. art. 253. A self-represented filer should call the clerk about what the office will accept for the specific filing.
Can I mail a succession filing to the Washington Parish Clerk of Court?
The clerk states that civil and criminal filings are accepted by e-file or walk-in. Call (985) 839-4663 before sending any succession paper by mail.
What happens to the original testament in Washington Parish?
If an original testament is part of the succession, it is delivered in paper form. Louisiana law says the clerk retains the original testament in perpetuity after it is probated or ordered filed and executed (La. C.C.P. art. 2911).
Are there Washington Parish succession forms?
The Washington Parish Clerk of Court does not list a succession-specific petition, affidavit, or checklist. The Civil Case Reporting Form on the forms page is for tort suits and is not a succession filing form.
How do I look up a Washington Parish succession case?
The working local online portal linked for Washington Parish is the CottHosting land records and property search. The clerk's E-Search menu item leads to a placeholder, so call the clerk for succession case information.
Can I appear by Zoom for a Washington Parish succession hearing?
The Twenty-Second Judicial District Court states that it hears matters in person and by Zoom video conference. If a hearing is set and you want Zoom, contact the assigned judge's office.
What is the filing fee for a Washington Parish succession?
The clerk does not list a succession advance cost deposit amount online. Call the Washington Parish Clerk of Court before filing to confirm the current deposit and accepted payment method.
Do I have to travel to Franklinton for estate settlement?
It depends on the filing, whether a hearing is set, and what the clerk accepts for your role in the case. Washington Parish civil filings are accepted by CottFile e-file or walk-in, and the Twenty-Second Judicial District Court allows Zoom by request through the assigned judge's office for matters it hears by video conference.
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.