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West Feliciana Parish, LA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | West Feliciana Parish information |
|---|---|
| Court | Twentieth Judicial District Court, serving East Feliciana and West Feliciana Parishes |
| Filing office | West Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court |
| Courthouse address | 4785 Prosperity Street, St. Francisville, LA 70775 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 1843, St. Francisville, LA 70775 |
| Phone | (225) 635-3794. No separate succession line is posted. |
| Fax | (225) 635-3770 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Filing fee | The clerk lists an undated $400.00 succession advance deposit and states that advance payment is required before filing. The schedule says the amount includes the statutory judicial fee under La. R.S. 13:10.3. Costs can draw against an advance deposit under La. R.S. 13:842. |
| Local forms | No West Feliciana Parish succession forms or checklists are posted. |
| E-filing | West Feliciana Parish offers e-filing for civil pleadings through cottfile.com. The local e-filing page does not address self-represented succession filers. Attorneys should also account for La. C.C.P. art. 253, effective January 1, 2026. The original testament may be delivered on paper and is retained by the clerk under La. C.C.P. art. 2911. |
| Case search | The West Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court Public Records Search lists land, civil, criminal, marriage, and probates. The site does not say whether succession results include document images or only an index. The clerk also links separately to eClerksLA. |
| Remote appearance | The Twentieth Judicial District Court posts video conference instructions that require a meeting ID or division password. Remote appearance for a succession setting should be confirmed with the clerk or the assigned division. La. C.C.P. art. 195.1 also provides a notice process for certain non-evidentiary civil proceedings. |
| Website | https://westfelicianaclerkofcourt.org/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in West Feliciana Parish, identify the decedent's assets, debts, testament if any, heirs, legatees, community property, separate property, and any immovable property. The right succession route depends on those facts, not just on whether someone left a testament.
Sunset's estate settlement process starts with asset discovery across more than 2,300 financial institutions, then organizes what you find into the information a Louisiana succession petition, descriptive list, or small succession affidavit may need.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Successions for West Feliciana Parish are filed with the West Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court at the courthouse in St. Francisville and are heard in the Twentieth Judicial District Court. The same judicial district also serves East Feliciana Parish, but a West Feliciana Parish succession is filed in St. Francisville.
Venue is based on 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 the decedent owned immovable property, 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, asset and debt information, heir and legatee names, marriage information, and details about community property and immovable property.
- Choose the succession route. The local clerk does not post West Feliciana Parish forms, so the petition or affidavit should be prepared to Louisiana law before filing.
- File the petition or other succession papers with the West Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court at 4785 Prosperity Street in St. Francisville, or use an accepted electronic filing route if it applies to the filer and document.
- Pay the clerk's listed succession advance deposit. West Feliciana Parish lists an undated $400.00 succession advance deposit, and the clerk may require additional costs if the deposit is exhausted (La. R.S. 13:842).
- Handle the original testament separately. Louisiana law allows an original testament to be delivered on paper, and the clerk retains the original in perpetuity after it is probated or ordered filed and executed (La. C.C.P. arts. 253, 2911).
- If the testament is unopposed, the clerk of court may probate the testament and confirm or appoint a succession representative, such as an executor or administrator, where Louisiana law allows (La. C.C.P. arts. 282, 283).
- After qualification, the clerk issues letters testamentary, letters of administration, or letters of independent administration, depending on the appointment and route (La. C.C.P. art. 3159).
- Prepare the required inventory or sworn detailed descriptive list, address debts through the proper succession process, and seek court authorization where Louisiana law requires it before paying estate debts (La. C.C.P. art. 3301).
- When the estate is ready to close or heirs and legatees can be placed into possession without administration, present the proposed judgment of possession to the court. The judgment of possession is the Louisiana document that transfers possession to the proper successors.
- If the judgment affects immovable property, record the required documents in the conveyance records so the property chain reflects the succession result.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in West Feliciana Parish
West Feliciana Parish does not post local succession petition templates, small succession affidavit templates, or a local succession checklist. Louisiana also does not publish a statewide succession form set. Call the West Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court at (225) 635-3794 before filing to confirm the office's current formatting, copy, payment, and delivery preferences.
The clerk's office can accept filings and quote filing costs. It cannot choose the succession route, draft the petition, identify heirs, or advise whether a small succession affidavit, possession without administration, administration, or independent administration fits the facts.
Fees
The West Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court lists "Successions" as an undated $400.00 advance deposit. The same schedule states that advance payment of the listed fees is required before filing and that the listed fees include the statutory judicial fee under La. R.S. 13:10.3.
Treat that amount as an advance deposit, not a final total. Under La. R.S. 13:842, clerk costs can be charged against the deposit, and the clerk may require more when the deposit is exhausted.
Local nuance
West Feliciana Parish-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a succession filing |
|---|---|
| Shared judicial district | The Twentieth Judicial District Court serves East Feliciana and West Feliciana Parishes, but West Feliciana Parish filings go to the West Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court in St. Francisville. |
| Published succession deposit | The clerk lists an undated $400.00 succession advance deposit, including the statutory judicial fee under La. R.S. 13:10.3. |
| Public records search | The clerk's public search lists probates along with land, civil, criminal, and marriage records. The site does not say whether images are available or whether the results are limited to an index. |
| Local e-filing | The clerk links civil e-filing through cottfile.com. Self-represented succession filers should call before relying on electronic filing. |
| Video conference instructions | The Twentieth Judicial District Court posts video conference instructions using a meeting ID or division password. Ask about the specific setting before planning to appear remotely. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed |
|---|---|
| Small succession law | Act 293 of 2026 took effect August 1, 2026, and raised the Louisiana-domiciled small succession figure to $200,000 under La. C.C.P. art. 3421. |
| Attorney filing rule | La. C.C.P. art. 253 added a January 1, 2026 filing rule for attorneys and keeps a paper route for the original testament under the statute's paper-document carveout. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely West Feliciana Parish path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by separating the decedent's half of community property from the surviving spouse's own half. If descendants survive, Louisiana's usufruct rules may affect the decedent's community share (La. C.C. art. 890). A judgment of possession may be needed to place the proper successors into possession and update the property record. | Sunset helps organize property, accounts, debts, family relationships, and attorney-ready documents for estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If the decedent was domiciled in Louisiana and the facts fit the small succession rules, the current Louisiana-domiciled figure is $200,000 under La. C.C.P. art. 3421. File or record in the proper parish based on domicile and property, and call the West Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court about local filing and recordation preferences. | Sunset helps identify accounts, prepare a probate packet, and connect the family with local help if the affidavit route is uncertain. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of immovable property can require administration, independent administration, or a judgment placing successors into possession before the sale can close. File West Feliciana Parish matters with the clerk in St. Francisville. | Sunset helps find assets, gather the information a succession representative needs, and connect the family with a Louisiana succession attorney. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| West Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court | Accepts succession filings, provides filing logistics, quotes current costs, and maintains local records. Staff cannot provide legal advice or draft a succession petition. | 4785 Prosperity Street, St. Francisville, LA 70775. Phone (225) 635-3794. Fax (225) 635-3770. |
| Twentieth Judicial District Court | Serves East Feliciana and West Feliciana Parishes and posts court and video conference information. | https://www.20thjdc.org/ |
| Southeast Louisiana Legal Services | Provides free civil legal help to eligible residents in its service area, including uncontested successions. | 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. | https://louisianalawhelp.org/ |
| Law Library of Louisiana | Research resource from the Louisiana Supreme Court's law library, including self-represented-litigant guides. | https://www.lasc.org/ |
When to hire an attorney
A Louisiana succession attorney is especially useful when the estate includes immovable property, a testament, heirs who do not agree, a nonresident succession representative, creditor issues, forced heirship questions, community property issues, or a sale before the judgment of possession. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions so families can see what exists before choosing a Louisiana succession route.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the estate settlement facts you gather into an organized packet for the clerk, the attorney, and the succession representative.
Find a local probate attorney. When a West Feliciana Parish succession needs legal help, Sunset can connect the family with a Louisiana attorney who handles successions.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to start estate settlement, organize information, and decide what local help they need without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file a succession in West Feliciana Parish?
File with the West Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court at 4785 Prosperity Street in St. Francisville. West Feliciana Parish is in the Twentieth Judicial District Court, which also serves East Feliciana Parish, but West Feliciana filings stay in St. Francisville.
What is the filing fee for a West Feliciana Parish succession?
The clerk lists an undated $400.00 succession advance deposit. The schedule says advance payment is required before filing and that the amount includes the statutory judicial fee under La. R.S. 13:10.3. Because it is a deposit, costs can draw against it under La. R.S. 13:842.
Does West Feliciana Parish have local succession forms?
No local succession forms, petition templates, or checklists are posted by the West Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court. Louisiana successions are usually prepared as petitions or affidavits drafted to the Code of Civil Procedure rather than as a statewide form packet.
Can I e-file a succession in West Feliciana Parish?
The clerk offers civil e-filing through cottfile.com, but the local e-filing page does not address self-represented succession filers. Attorneys should account for La. C.C.P. art. 253. The original testament may be delivered on paper and is kept by the clerk under La. C.C.P. art. 2911.
Can I look up West Feliciana Parish succession records online?
The West Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court Public Records Search lists probates along with land, civil, criminal, and marriage records. The site does not say whether the search provides document images or only an index. If the search does not show the succession you need, call (225) 635-3794.
Are West Feliciana Parish succession hearings remote?
The Twentieth Judicial District Court posts video conference instructions requiring a meeting ID or division password. Remote appearance for a specific succession setting depends on the court's direction and the type of proceeding. La. C.C.P. art. 195.1 also provides a written-notice process for certain non-evidentiary civil proceedings.
Do I have to travel to St. Francisville for every step?
Not always. Some uncontested succession steps are handled through filings, and West Feliciana Parish offers civil e-filing for some matters. If a hearing or conference is set, ask the clerk or assigned division about the available appearance method before making travel plans.
Can the clerk tell me which succession route to use?
No. The clerk can explain filing logistics, payment, records, and office procedures. Choosing between a small succession affidavit, possession without administration, administration, or independent administration is a legal decision.
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.