City Court of Port Allen
P.O. Box 93
Port Allen, LA. 70767
(225) 346-4702
info@portallencitycourt.com
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HOW TO USE THE CITY COURT OF PORT ALLEN
This is an informational publication of the City Court of Port
Allen. The City Judge and the employees of the City Court are not
allowed to give legal advise. Therefore, you may wish to contact a
lawyer, even if you intend to handle your own claim.
WHAT IS THE CITY COURT OF PORT ALLEN?
The City Court of Port Allen was established by the State of
Louisiana. It is called a city court, but it has jurisdiction over all of
Ward III of West Baton Rouge. It has authority to decide certain
juvenile and criminal matters as well as civil disputes up to $10,000 in
amount. You do not have to hire a lawyer to represent you in City
Court. However, suits require written pleadings which can be too
complicated for an individual to prepare on his own behalf. The
technical rules of evidence are relaxed and all relevant evidence is
admissible provided the Judge is satisfied as to its reliability, and he
has sufficient competent evidence on which to base his judgement.
Though the procedure in the City Court of Port Allen is relatively
informal, YOU MUST STILL PROVE BY COMPETENT
EVIDENCE THAT THE DEFENDANT OWES YOU THE
MONEY YOU SEEK. You do not have to have a lawyer, but it is
advisable to get legal advise BEFORE you file a lawsuit.
The City Court of Port Allen exists as a service to you, however,
it is not free. You will be required to pay a deposit before filing your
suit. The Clerk can provide you with a schedule of fees and tell you
how much the deposit will be. The deposit is an advance toward the
actual cost incurred during the suit. The Clerk cannot predict exactly
how much the final costs will be. If the cost exceeds the deposit, you
will be required to post additional deposits as the case progresses. If a
judgement is rendered in your favor, the Court may order the
defendant to reimburse you for the costs. The Court cannot
guarantee that you will get your money back. If you file the suit, you
are responsible to the Court for payment of all costs.
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