What to Do When Someone Dies in Iberville Parish, Louisiana

Probate in Iberville Parish runs through the District Court: prove the will, settle the debts, and pass the house to the heirs. Here is how the local process works—and what each step actually costs.

When someone dies in Iberville Parish, settling their estate runs through the District Court. This page covers the court record, whether probate is required, what it costs, how to file, transferring property, and the local attorneys who handle probate here.

Probate Court Record

District Court

Iberville Parish · 18th Judicial District

Address

58050 Meriam Street, 1st FloorPlaquemine, LA 70764

Fax

225-687-5260

Hours

Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Visit court website →
Paper filing availableE-filing optional

Louisiana uses "succession" instead of "probate" (civil law tradition). Mailing address: P.O. Box 423, Plaquemine, LA 70764-0423 (some directory listings show ZIP 70765-0423 for the P.O. Box; physical-address ZIP is 70764). 18th JDC also includes Pointe Coupee and West Baton Rouge Parishes. Civil Department email: apatin@ibervilleclerk.com.

Verified July 3, 2026 · Source

How Probate Works in Iberville 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 Iberville Parish, probate runs through the District Court at 58050 Meriam Street, 1st Floor, Plaquemine. The court sits in the 18th Judicial District. The same 18th Judicial District also serves Pointe Coupee and West Baton Rouge.

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. The 3 monthsLa. C.C.P. art. 3302Verified Sep 8, 2026View source creditor claim window is the largest fixed piece of that timeline — a mandatory wait regardless of how simple the estate is.

What Probate Costs in Iberville Parish

What probate costs in Iberville 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 58050 Meriam Street, 1st Floor, Plaquemine. The court is part of the 18th Judicial District.

Local procedures at this court that affect cost: New probate (succession) filing fee is $450.00. These are county-specific and not posted on the statewide court site.

Louisiana 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 Sep 8, 2026View source to open probate, the same in every county. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.

The District Court accepts e-filing. Paper filing remains available for self-represented filers.

Estimate the costs for this estate:

Attorney fees in Louisiana are negotiated, typically 1.9%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)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3%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)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.

Executor compensation is set by statute at 2.5%La. C.C.P. art. 3351 (2.5% of inventory default; court may increase if inadequate)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value. 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%La. C.C.P. arts. 3151 (administrator security, 1.25x inventory), 3153 (testator-named executor not required to furnish security), 3154-3155 (forced heirs, surviving spouse, or creditor may compel), 3396.14 (independent administrator not required to provide security)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 Iberville 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 18th Judicial District.

How to File Your Documents

Paper Filing Available

You can file your probate documents in person at the court or by mail.

E-Filing Also Available

If you prefer, you can file electronically through the state's online system. This is optional for families filing without an attorney.

Can You File Without an Attorney?

Not every estate requires an attorney. Estate size, asset types, and whether beneficiaries agree determine if self-filing at the District Court is realistic.

For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Iberville Parish Self-Filing Assessment.

Iberville Parish Filing Requirements

These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.

Before You File

Attorneys may not file succession or other pleadings by mail or fax; filing must be in person on paper or electronically.

La. CCP Art. 253(B)(2), as amended by Act 352 (2025), effective January 1, 2026. Applies to both civil and criminal pleadings.

Source

Document Requirements

Filers must redact private information before filing.

No filing may include the first five digits of a Social Security number, tax identification numbers, state identification numbers, driver's license numbers, financial account numbers, full dates of birth, or any information protected from disclosure by state or federal law. The filer is responsible for redaction (La. CCP Art. 253).

Source

What to Bring

To file at the District Court you need: the original will (or proof there isn't one), a certified death certificate, contact information for all heirs and beneficiaries, and a summary of what the estate owns and owes.

Transferring Property in Iberville 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 Iberville Parish are recorded with the Clerk of Court, led by Amy Matirne Patin, at 58050 Meriam Street, Plaquemine, LA 70764. Phone: 225-687-5160. Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM.

Documents submitted by mail go to P.O. Box 423, Plaquemine, LA 70764-0423.

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.

Iberville Parish accepts electronic recording through Simplifile.

Recording Office Record

Clerk of Court

Iberville Parish · Amy Matirne Patin

Address

58050 Meriam StreetPlaquemine, LA 70764Mailing: P.O. Box 423, Plaquemine, LA 70764-0423

Fax

225-687-5260

Hours

Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM

E-recording

Available via Simplifile
Visit recorder website →

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
Court Modernization and Technology Fund feeRequired with most deeds$5

La. R.S. 13:844(A)(1)

Verified July 13, 2026 · Source

Probate Attorneys Serving Iberville Parish

Louisiana uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in Iberville Parish — the filing sequence, notice requirements, and accounting leave little room for error. Estates under the small-estate threshold are the usual exception.

Probate attorney fees in Louisiana are based on reasonable compensation — typically 1.9%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)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3%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)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate's value, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Iberville 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.

Solo PracticeGonzales, LA

Christopher J. Bridges, Attorney at Law

Serves 3 counties

Gonzales-based attorney with over 25 years of experience handling all aspects of succession and probate cases in Ascension Parish. Provides guidance on drafting wills and other estate planning matters for families throughout the parish.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateWills Trusts

Office
714 N Burnside AveGonzales, LA 70737

Solo PracticePrairieville, LA

Kallio Law Firm, LLC

Serves 4 counties

Based in Prairieville, Kallio Law Firm serves Ascension Parish and the Greater Baton Rouge area. The practice handles Louisiana succession proceedings, wills and trusts, mandates (powers of attorney), and interdiction, alongside Medicaid and elder-care planning. Attorney Eric Kallio leads the firm.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateElder LawTax Planningand 3 more

Office
16094 Hwy 73, Suite 202Prairieville, LA 70769
Free consultation

FirmBaton Rouge, LA

The Baringer Law Firm, L.L.C.

Serves 6 counties

With nearly 40 years of experience, The Baringer Law Firm provides estate planning services throughout Louisiana including Baton Rouge, Plaquemine, and surrounding communities. Their attorneys hold LLM degrees in tax law, enabling sophisticated tax planning and succession strategies.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateTax PlanningBusiness Successionand 2 more

Office
201 St. Charles StreetBaton Rouge, LA 70802

FirmMetairie, LA

Chehardy Sherman Williams

Since 1989 · Serves 4 counties

Metairie firm serving Jefferson, Orleans, St. Tammany, and Tangipahoa parishes from offices in Metairie, New Orleans, and Hammond. Handles testate and intestate succession administration, estate and trust administration, and estate and trust litigation involving will validity and contested distributions. The succession practice dates to the firm's founding in 1989.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationTrust Litigationand 3 more

Office
1 Galleria Blvd., Suite 1100Metairie, LA 70001

FirmNew Iberia, LA

Haik, Minvielle, Grubbs & D'Albor, LLP

Serves the whole state

New Iberia firm with attorneys handling wills, successions, estate planning, and real estate transactions throughout Louisiana. Licensed to practice in all Federal and State Courts with a satellite office in New Orleans.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateWills Trusts

Office
1101 East Admiral Doyle Drive, Suite 503New Iberia, LA 70560

FirmNew Orleans, LA

Jones Walker LLP

Since 1937 · Serves the whole state

Established in 1937, Jones Walker is the largest law firm in New Orleans with more than 150 attorneys. The Estate Planning & Administration team advises clients on wills, trusts, estate and gift tax planning, asset valuations, and business succession planning. Multiple attorneys are board-certified Estate Planning and Administration Specialists.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 4 more

Office
201 Saint Charles AvenueNew Orleans, LA 70170
See all 9 firms serving Iberville Parish→

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.

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Legal Sources

Data sourced from Louisiana statutes and official state code. How we research.