City Court of Port Allen
P.O. Box 93
Port Allen, LA. 70767
(225) 346-4702
info@portallencitycourt.com
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HOW SHOULD YOU PREPARE FOR YOUR TRIAL?
Since you, as the plaintiff, have the burden of proving your case before
the Judge at trial, you should bring with you any important documents
related to your case. These may include cancelled checks,
receipts, bills, correspondence, messages, contracts, leases, accident
reports, and anything else that may be used as evidence to support
your claim. You are also responsible for arranging to have witnesses
appear to testify on your behalf. Some witnesses will agree to come to
court voluntarily. You must inform them of the date, time and place
of the trial and make sure they appear. If it is necessary for you to call
a witness who does not wish to appear voluntarily, you may ask the
Clerk to issue a "subpoena" or Court order directing the person to
appear. Otherwise, your witness failure to appear will not ordinarily
constitute good grounds for a postponement or continuance of your
case. An additional court cost deposit is required for each witness
you wish to have subpoenaed.
The plaintiff bears the burden of proving his case by a "preponderance
of the evidence". This is a balancing test by which the Judge
weighs the probabilities of accuracy of each party's respective claim.
The plaintiff's evidence must be greater in order for him to win the
case. Therefore, if your suit involves a complex piece of machinery, a
defective car or appliance, you may wish to bring an expert witness to
testify at your trial (e.g. a mechanic or appliance repairman). You
may also wish to consult an attorney regarding trial preparation
even if you intend to handle your own case.
If a settlement is reached prior to trial, notify the Clerk's Office in
writing IMMEDIATELY so the case may be dismissed and replaced
on the docket. If time does not permit a letter, telephone the Clerk's Office.
If you find you are unable to attend court at the date and time
set, IMMEDIATELY notify the Court IN WRITING to seek a
continuance. Continuance requests that do not reflect the consent of the
opposing party are not automatically granted and must be
supported by good cause.
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