Lafayette litigation firm, also serving Acadia Parish, whose few practice areas include contested estates and probate litigation. Represents beneficiaries, family members and trustees in will contests over undue influence, capacity, form and forgery, contested trusts, and trustee breach-of-duty claims. Co-founded by James H. Gibson and Charles M. Kreamer.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Acadia Parish, Louisiana
How probate works in Acadia Parish: the District Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Acadia Parish District Court
Acadia Parish · 15th Judicial District
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Office
500 Northeast Court Circle, Room 201, Crowley, LA 70526
Website
E-filing
Filing in person
Walk-ins accepted
Self-represented filing
Allowed
E-filing
OptionalThe clerk has adopted the statewide rules for electronic filing and posts a guide to civil e-filing through Clerk Connect. An e-filing is paid by credit card and carries an online service fee on top of the clerk's costs. Call the Civil Department to confirm a succession can be e-filed before relying on it.
Filing in person
Walk-ins acceptedSuccessions are filed with the Civil Department in the clerk's office during business hours.
Self-represented filing
AllowedSelf-represented filers file successions with the Civil Department. The clerk posts its civil fee schedule and a fee calculator online.
P.O. Box 922
Crowley, LA 70527
Fax
1-337-788-1048
Departments
- Civil Department1-337-788-8881 ext. 5000 · civil@acadiaparishclerk.comFiles all civil suits, adoptions and successions.
- First floorThe fax line for the first-floor counters; the main fax serves the second floor.
About the court
- Louisiana uses "succession" instead of "probate" (civil law tradition). Successions are filed with the Civil Department of the Clerk of Court in the Acadia Parish Courthouse.
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Acadia Parish
Probate is the court-supervised process of settling someone's estate after they die — validating the will, paying debts and taxes, and transferring what's left to the heirs. In Acadia Parish, probate runs through the District Court at 500 Northeast Court Circle, Room 201, Crowley. The court sits in the 15th Judicial District. Acadia Parish runs probate e-filing through acadiaparishclerk.com, its own system rather than a shared statewide portal.
The personal representative opens the case, gives notice to heirs and creditors, files an inventory of the estate's assets, settles outstanding debts and taxes, and then distributes the remainder under the will — or under Louisiana intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Louisiana estates take 6 months to 12 months to move through this process. Creditors have 3 monthsLa. C.C.P. arts. 3241-3249, 3301-3308; La. C.C. art. 3276Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the date of death.
What Probate Costs in Acadia Parish
What probate costs in Acadia Parish, Louisiana comes down to a handful of line items — the court filing fee, attorney and executor compensation, publication, and sometimes a bond — scaled by the estate's size and whether the will is contested. The case itself runs through the District Court at 500 Northeast Court Circle, Room 201, Crowley. The court is part of the 15th Judicial District.
Procedures at this court that affect cost: Successions and tutorships require a $350.00 advance deposit.
The District Court charges $300 - $400 (based on estate value)La. R.S. 13:841; La. CCP Art. 3421-3422; Acts 2026, No. 293, §1 (HB 215); Acts 2024, No. 90, §1 (SB 32)Verified Oct 17, 2026View source to open a probate case. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Attorney fees in Louisiana are negotiated, typically 1.9%Modeled estimate under La. C.C.P. arts. 3301, 3303 (attorney fees are an administration expense — La. Civ. Code art. 1415 — payable only on court authorization); art. 3351.1 (dual-role limit): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3%Modeled estimate under La. C.C.P. arts. 3301, 3303 (attorney fees are an administration expense — La. Civ. Code art. 1415 — payable only on court authorization); art. 3351.1 (dual-role limit): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.
Louisiana sets executor compensation at 2.5% of the estate by statuteLa. C.C.P. art. 3351 (2.5% of inventory default; court may increase if inadequate)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
A surety bond may be required unless the will waives it or all beneficiaries consent. Premiums run roughly 0.5%Industry surety premium estimate; the bond itself under La. C.C.P. arts. 3151 (administrator security, 1.25x inventory), 3153 (testator-named executor), 3154-3155 (forced heirs, spouse or creditor may compel), 3396.14 (independent administrator)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in Louisiana typically runs 6 months to 12 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the District Court
Probate documents in Acadia Parish can be filed in person at the District Court, by mail, or electronically. Most families handling probate themselves prefer paper filing, though e-filing is available. The court sits in the 15th Judicial District. Acadia Parish shares the 15th Judicial District with Lafayette and Vermilion.
Beside the filing office, the court lists separate lines for Civil Department and First floor.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
Louisiana has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not available.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Acadia Parish Self-Filing Assessment.
What to Bring
Filed with the opening petition at the District Court: Proof of the decedent’s death and of the heirs’ relationship — EITHER an official certificate issued by the proper public officer (a certified death certificate) OR an affidavit executed by two persons having knowledge of the facts, filed in the record of the succession proceeding (CCP arts. 2821-2822). The affidavit route — the customary "Affidavit of Death, Domicile and Heirship" — is what Louisiana practice actually files; no article requires a death certificateLa. Code Civ. Proc. arts. 2811, 3001-3198 (succession opening, appointment, letters); arts. 3396-3396.20 (independent administration)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Coroner in Acadia Parish
In Louisiana a death is registered locally, and in Acadia Parish certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Acadia Parish Health Unit as well as by Louisiana Department of Health - Vital Records Registry.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Health Department
Acadia Parish · Acadia Parish Health Unit
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
1029 Capitol Avenue, Crowley, LA 70526
Website
Also issued by
The county recorder
Fax
1-337-788-7577
Local rule
- By law the health unit's local registrar can issue a death certificate only in the ten days after it is filed. The Clerk of Court also issues death certificates, back to 2012.
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $7 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Coroner
Acadia Parish · Acadia Parish Coroner
Phone
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in Acadia Parish
Clearing title to real estate after a death, whether by a personal representative’s deed, an affidavit of survivorship, or a court order, happens at the Clerk of Court.
Deeds and other real property documents for Acadia Parish are recorded with the Clerk of Court at 500 Northeast Court Circle, Crowley, LA 70526. Phone: 1-337-788-8881 ext. 5004. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM.
Documents submitted by mail go to P.O. Box 922, Crowley, LA 70527.
The Clerk of Court charges $100 for 1-5 pages, $200 for 6-25 pages, $300 for 26-50 pages, $300 plus $5 for each page beyond 50.
Recording Office Record
Clerk of Court
Acadia Parish
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Office
500 Northeast Court Circle, Crowley, LA 70526
Website
P.O. Box 922
Crowley, LA 70527
Fax
1-337-788-1048
Recording fees
| 1-5 pages | $100 |
| 6-25 pages | $200 |
| 26-50 pages | $300 |
| 51+ pages | $300 |
| Louisiana Clerks' Remote Access Authority (LCRAA) portal feeRequired with most deeds | $5 |
La. R.S. 13:844(A)(1)
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Probate Attorneys Serving Acadia Parish
Louisiana allows independent administrationLa. C.C.P. art. 3396.2Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so the personal representative manages, pays and distributes the estate without returning to the court for approval at each step. A probate attorney earns the fee when the estate is contested, includes a business or out-of-state real estate, has unclear or insolvent debts, or when beneficiaries disagree.
Probate attorney fees in Louisiana are based on reasonable compensation, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask an Acadia Parish firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the District Court, publishes the required creditor notices, prepares the inventory and accounting, handles creditor claims and tax filings, and guides the final distribution. They represent the personal representative — not the beneficiaries — a distinction that matters if a dispute develops.
Lafayette office serving Lafayette, Acadia, Calcasieu, Iberia, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, Jefferson Davis and Vermilion parishes. Handles successions after a death, including opening the succession, probating a notarial or olographic will, and petitioning the court to transfer property, alongside will preparation. Attorney Daniel Tercero offers services in Spanish.
Acadiana firm with offices in Lafayette and Crowley, drafting wills, living wills and powers of attorney and preparing succession and probate plans for clients in Abbeville, Crowley, Lafayette, New Iberia, Jennings, Opelousas and surrounding areas. Most of its practice is criminal defense and family law.
New Orleans firm founded in 1937, with offices in Baton Rouge, Lafayette and Lake Charles. Its Estate Planning & Administration attorneys administer domiciliary and ancillary estates, prepare estate and gift tax returns, and handle contested successions and trust disputes. Partners David F. Edwards and Miriam Wogan Henry are board-certified Estate Planning and Administration Specialists.
Lake Charles firm with a second office in New Iberia that also practices personal injury, family law and criminal defense. Handles successions from inventory and creditor notice through distribution, including the small succession affidavit for intestate estates, and drafts wills, living trusts, living wills and powers of attorney. Offers free initial consultations.
Slidell solo practice of D. Bruce Cameron, with more than 20 years of succession and estate administration work in St. Tammany Parish and along the Northshore. Represents heirs, beneficiaries and executors from identifying assets and paying creditors to distribution, and in estate disputes over undue influence, incapacity and fraud. Evening and weekend appointments are available.
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to verify their current practice areas and availability.
Legal Sources
(9)·
- La. C.C.P. art. 3351 (2.5% of inventory default; court may increase if inadequate)
- La. C.C.P. art. 3396.2
- La. C.C.P. arts. 3241-3249, 3301-3308; La. C.C. art. 3276
- La. Code Civ. Proc. arts. 2811, 3001-3198 (succession opening, appointment, letters); arts. 3396-3396.20 (independent administration)
- La. R.S. 13:841; La. CCP Art. 3421-3422; Acts 2026, No. 293, §1 (HB 215); Acts 2024, No. 90, §1 (SB 32)
- La. R.S. 13:844(A)(1)
- Acadia Parish District Court, official page
- Acadia Parish Clerk of Court, official page
- Acadia Parish vital records and death investigation offices, official page
Data sourced from Louisiana statutes and official state code. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.
Tools for Settling an Estate in Louisiana
Free tools for settling an estate in Louisiana: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Louisiana.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Louisiana: creditors have 3 monthsLa. C.C.P. arts. 3241-3249, 3301-3308; La. C.C. art. 3276Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 3 months to 6 months.
See the Steps
How Do I Settle a Trust?
Settling a trust in Louisiana happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's trust statuteLa. R.S. 9:1721 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
See the Steps
Can I Self-File Probate?
Louisiana has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not available.
Get the Answer
Hire a Louisiana Probate Attorney
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