First City Court Clerk
421 Loyola Avenue, Room 201
New Orleans, LA 70112
Phone: 504-407-0400
Fax: (504) 592-9281
OFFICE HOURS
Monday through Friday
9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Donna Glapion Clerk of First City Court
Lisa Manning Bridges, Chief Deputy Clerk
Kacie Smith, Senior Administrative Clerk
ABOUT THE CLERK’S OFFICE
The First City Court for the Parish of Orleans, State of Louisiana is a court of limited jurisdiction. The territorial jurisdiction of First City Court is the Eastbank of Orleans Parish. The First City Court Clerk's Office is the clerical and processing branch of the First City Court. The Clerk's Office is the initial step when filing lawsuits within the jurisdiction of First City Court. The office is charged with the responsibility of recording, filing, and maintaining the proceedings of First City Court and is the repository of the court’s case files, dockets, and other journals relating to court proceedings and records filed with First City Court.
Donna M. Glapion serves as Clerk of First City Court and is supported by Chief Deputy Clerk Lisa Manning Bridges. Kacie Smith is the Senior Administrative Clerk. The MISSION of our TEAM is to exemplify courtesy, efficiency, and professionalism while providing excellent customer service to citizens, members of the bar, and the Court, as they conduct business with the First City Court Clerk's Office.
FIRST & SECOND CITY COURT JUDGES:
Judge Monique G. Morial, Section A Judge Elroy A. James, Section B Judge Dianne Alexander, Section C Judge E. "Teena" Anderson-Trahan, Section D
What types of filings are performed at the First City Court Clerk’s Office?
Evictions: Residential and commercial properties located on the East-bank of Orleans Parish only. Evictions in Algiers, zip codes 70114 and 70131, are processed at Second City Court. The 2024 Holiday Eviction Schedule can be found here.
Small Claims: Claims up to $5,000
Civil Lawsuits: Claims up to $25,000. Civil lawsuits over $25,000 can be filed at Orleans Civil District Court
Automated Traffic Enforcement System Appeals: The First City Court and the Second City Court shall have jurisdiction over appeals by any person aggrieved by a decision of the Traffic Court of New Orleans concerning a traffic violation enforced by the city of New Orleans’ automated traffic enforcement system. (LSA-C.C.P. art. 4850.2)
FILING A NEW LAWSUIT.
To file a new lawsuit, or to file pleadings, motions, or other documents for an existing lawsuit, you may do so by:
Coming to the First City Court Clerk’s Office to make the filing and pay the required court and service fees;
By mailing your pleadings and documents with the required court and service fees to the First City Court Clerk’s Office; or
By fax filing your pleadings and documents to the First City Court Clerk’s Office and following the required set for in the law under LA R.S. 13:850. See below “By Fax” section for more details.
To file IN PERSON:
First City Court Clerk 421 Loyola Ave Room 201 New Orleans, LA 70112 504-407-0400 (Office) 504-592-9281 (Fax)
Office Hours: Monday – Friday 9:00am – 4:00pm
Acceptable forms of payment: Cash, check, money order, credit/debit card
We do not issue refunds nor hold account balances. Payments must be made in the exact amount of the fee due for First City Court filing fees.
BY MAIL:
Mail original documents to the office at the address shown above.
Please include:
1) A cover letter indicating litigant names, the type of pleading and detailing any other requests. For existing cases, you must also include the case number.
2) Payment by check for any filing fees, payable to: First City Court Clerk
3) Payment by check, for Service, payable to: First City Court Constable* (if applicable).
4) A self-addressed stamped envelope for any documents that you’re requesting be returned to you.
*When received by mail, we will accept Constable’s payment of fees for Service, however. checks for SERVICE are to be made payable to the First City Court Constable. Checks must be for exact amounts and separate from payments made to the Clerk’s Office. For more information regarding the Constable’s fees, CLICK HERE.
BY FAX:
The Clerk's Office accepts filings by facsimile. When a fax filing is received, we will return by fax, a Confirmation of Receipt within 24 hrs. (excluding weekends/holidays), which will indicate any filing fees due.
The filing is not complete until we also receive the original document along with any fees due. The original document must be received by the Clerk’s Office in person or via mail within seven (7) days, exclusive of legal holidays, for the facsimile filing to have full force and effect.
Pursuant to LA R.S. 13:850 the following must be received: (1) The original document identical to the facsimile in number of pages and in content of each page including any attachments, exhibits, and order. A document not identical to the facsimile filing or which includes pages not included in the facsimile filing shall not be considered the original document. (2) The fees for the facsimile filing and filing of the original document stated on the confirmation of receipt, if any. (3) An additional $5.00 facsimile transmission fee must be enclosed for each document transmitted. There is an additional $2.50 per page fee for transmissions in excess of two (2) pages.
Pursuant to LA R.S. 13:850 (C), if the filing party fails to comply with any of the requirements of the foregoing, the facsimile filing shall have no force or effect.
SERVICE ON THE OPPOSING PARTY:
When a new lawsuit is filed, the plaintiff must also have the defendant SERVED with a copy of the lawsuit. Service is notification to the defendant that he/she/it is being sued. With respect to pleadings, motions, and other documents filed after your initial lawsuit, which pleadings or motions require service on the opposing party (whether plaintiff or defendant), you may request that service be effected by the First City Court Constable’s Office. In addition to any filing fees payable to the First City Court Clerk’s Office, there is also a fee for SERVICE. Service fees are paid to the FIRST CITY COURT CONSTABLE.
Also, please refer to LSA C. C. P. Art. 1313 for further service information.
The Constable’s fees for Service must be paid separately from the Clerk’s fees, and cannot be included in any check written to the Clerk’s Office for payment of filing fees. Visit the First City Court Constable website for applicable fees and more information.
AUTOMATED TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM – APPEALS
2024 TRAFFIC CAMERA APPEALS will be heard on the following dates at 1:00 PM:
FIRST CITY COURT - 421 Loyola Ave., NOLA 70112
Wednesday, September 18 SEC A, Room 202
Wednesday, October 23 SEC B, Room 211
Wednesday, November 27 SEC C, Room 212
Section A: (504) 407-0340
Section B: (504) 407-0350
Section C: (504) 407-0360
FEES
Acceptable forms of payment: Cash, check, money order, credit/debit card
Filing fees are NON-REFUNDABLE - Please confirm that your filing is appropriate and within our jurisdiction based on location, filing type and suit amount before filing. Deputy Clerks are available to assist you in person or by calling (504) 407-0400.
WE DO NOT HOLD ACCOUNT BALANCES ON THE DOCKET - Payments must be made in the exact amount of the fee(s) due.
Please CLICK HERE for a schedule of fees.
Filing fees are established by the Court En Banc. Parties seeking to litigate without payment of these fees may do so by applying to proceed "In Forma Pauperis". The form must be filled out, notarized and returned to the Clerk’s Office for approval by the Court. CLICK HERE to complete the form.
AVAILABLE FORMS
ADA ACCOMODATIONS FORM (correct – price list link attached)
AFFIDAVIT OF CORRECTNESS
AFFIDAVIT OF CORRECTNESS ON ACCOUNT AND/OR NOTE AND NON-MILITARY
AFFIDAVIT OF NON-MIITARY SERVICE
BAR ROLL UPDATE - CHANGE OF ADDRESS
CONSENT HEARING - JOINT REQUEST TO FIX TRIAL
EVICTION - MOTION FOR DISMISSAL OF EVICTION
EVICTION - RULE FOR POSSESSION (INITIAL EVICTION FORM)
GARNISHMENT - INTERROGETORIES AND ORDER
GARNISHMENT- MOTION AND JUDGEMENT AGAINST GARNISHEE
GARNISHMENT - MOTION AND JUDGEMENT AGAINST GARNISHEE - BANK ACCOUNT
GARNISHMENT - NOTICE TO REDUCE GARNISHMENT
GARNISHMENT - REQUEST TO WITHDRAW GARNISHMENT DEPOSIT
MOTION (Any use)
MOTION FOR CONTEMPT OF COURT
MOTION FOR NEW TRIAL - RULE FOR POSESSION
MOTION TO APPOINT SPECIAL PROCESS SERVER
MOTION TO SET TRIAL ON THE MERITS
MOTION TO WITHDRAW FUNDS FROM THE REGISTRY
REQUEST FOR RECORDS STORED OFFSITE
SMALL CLAIMS – STATEMENT OF CLAIM & CITATION (INITIAL SUIT FORM)
SMALL CLAIMS - COLLECTION INTRUCTIONS
SMALL CLAIMS - DEFENDANTS ANSWER
SMALL CLAIMS - FILING INSTRUCTIONS
SMALL CLAIMS - JUDGMENT AGAINST GARNISHEE FOR FAILURE TO ANSWER
SMALL CLAIMS - JUDGEMENT DEBTOR RULE
TRANSFER - MOTION AND ORDER TO TRANSFER - SMALL CLAIMS TO REGULAR DOCKET FIRST CITY COURT
TRANSFER - SMALL CLAIMS DOCKET TO REGULAR CIVIL DOCKET
Please see the list below of our frequently used forms. You may select (click) any form name below, which will open to the fillable form. CLICK HERE for additional forms, Rules of the Court, and other Self-Represented Litigant resources.
CLICK HERE to view our Copy Distribution Fact Sheet
RECORDS
All records are open and available for public viewing and copying. No records may be removed from the office of First City Court by either attorneys or private citizens. There is a fee to have copies printed. No records may be photographed by camera, phone or other recording device. Regular copies are $1/page, certified copies are $2/page.
FIRST CITY CONSTABLE SERVICE INFORMATION
To see if Service has been completed on a case, please CLICK HERE to visit the Constable’s portal.
You must enter the docket number in the following format, or your search will not yield accurate results:
YEAR-CASE NUMBER (You must include the dash)
XXXX-XXXXX i.e. 2017-00276
INFORMATION
Deputy Clerks are available in person and by telephone to answer questions relative to new and previously filed cases in First City Court, but are expressly prohibited from giving legal advice.
Should you need legal assistance, the Southeast Louisiana Legal Services team may be able to help:
Southeast Louisiana Legal Services (SLLS)
Orleans Tower 1340 Poydras St., Suite 600 New Orleans, LA 70112 (504) 529-1000 https://slls.org
CONTACT US
First City Court Clerk 421 Loyola Ave Room 201 New Orleans, LA 70112 (504) 407-0400 (Office) (504) 592-9281 (Fax) https://www.orleanscivildistrictcourt.org/first-city-court-clerk
Small Claims Clerk: (504) 407-0404 Evictions Clerk: (504) 407-0405 Docket Clerk, Section A: (504) 407-0415 Docket Clerk, Section B: (504) 407-0409 Docket Clerk, Section C: (504) 407-0410 Cashier: (504) 407-0403
First City Court Clerk – dglapion@orleanscdc.com
Chief Deputy Clerk – lbridges@orleanscdc.com
Senior Administrative Clerk – kcsmith@orleanscdc.com