Practices from Gretna near the Jefferson, Orleans and Plaquemines parish courthouses and has served the New Orleans area since 1980. Handles successions under administration, simple successions placing heirs into possession, small succession affidavits and double successions, and both contests and defenses of wills. Offers a free telephone consultation.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana
How probate works in Jefferson Parish: the District Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Jefferson Parish District Court
Jefferson Parish · 24th Judicial District
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Office
200 Derbigny Street, Suite 2400, Gretna, LA 70053
Website
E-filing
Filing in person
Walk-ins accepted
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
E-filing
OptionalCivil documents may be e-filed through JeffNet, the clerk's remote access service, by attorneys and by self-represented filers alike, in the 24th JDC and both parish courts. Since January 1, 2026 the clerk accepts no fax filings, and an attorney files in person on paper or electronically. On paper: Sealed documents.
Filing in person
Walk-ins acceptedSuccessions are filed with the 24th JDC civil records office in Suite 2400 of the Thomas F. Donelon Courthouse in Gretna, or at First Parish Court in Metairie, which also accepts 24th JDC filings.
Self-represented filing
AllowedSelf-represented filers may e-file through JeffNet, and clerk staff cannot give legal advice or help complete a form. The clerk's Forms page carries an Administrator's Bond and a Request to Receive and Record Will.
Accepted payment
- At the counterCash, Check, Money order, Credit card, Debit card.Checks and money orders are payable to "Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court." Credit and debit cards are accepted in every office except for expungements and birth or death certificates, and service outside the parish takes a separate check to that parish's sheriff.
P.O. Box 10
Gretna, LA 70054-0010
Departments
- 24th JDC Civil Filing1-504-364-2898 · Suite 2400, Thomas F. Donelon Courthouse, 200 Derbigny StreetThe civil filing desk for the 24th Judicial District Court.
- 24th JDC Civil Information1-504-364-3740 · Suite 2400, Thomas F. Donelon Courthouse, 200 Derbigny Street · 24thcivilinformation@jeffparishclerk.gov
- First Parish Court, Civil1-504-736-8391 · 924 David Drive, Metairie, LA 70003Accepts 24th JDC filings on the East Bank.
- Advance Deposit Refunds1-504-364-2655 · Suite 5300, General Government Building, 200 Derbigny Street
About the court
- Louisiana uses "succession" instead of "probate" (civil law tradition). Civil records, successions among them, are in Suite 2400 of the Thomas F. Donelon Courthouse; civil matters before 2004 are at the old records office, 1128 4th Street, Gretna. The clerk receives wills for safekeeping and keeps them in digital form only.
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Jefferson 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 Jefferson Parish, probate runs through the District Court at 200 Derbigny Street, Suite 2400, Gretna. The court sits in the 24th Judicial District. Probate e-filing in Jefferson Parish goes through jeffparishclerk.gov, a county-specific system.
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 Jefferson Parish
What probate costs in Jefferson 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 200 Derbigny Street, Suite 2400, Gretna. The court is part of the 24th Judicial District.
Procedures at this court that affect cost: Succession advance deposit: $200.00 for a small succession (under $125,000), $400.00 for a large succession ($125,000 and over).
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 Jefferson 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 24th Judicial District.
Beside the filing office, the court lists separate lines for 24th JDC Civil Filing, 24th JDC Civil Information, First Parish Court, Civil, and Advance Deposit Refunds.
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 Jefferson Parish Self-Filing Assessment.
Jefferson Parish Filing Requirements
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Document Requirements
An original will may still be filed on paper, in person, by mail or by courier, and sealed documents may not be e-filed.
The paper route for an original will is set by La. C.C.P. art. 253(B)(3)(a). A will left with the clerk for safekeeping on a Request to Receive and Record Will is kept in digital and microfilm form only, not on paper.
SourceSensitive personal data must be kept out of filings.
The filer is responsible for leaving out the first five digits of any Social Security, tax identification, state identification, driver's license or financial account number, and any information protected from disclosure by state or federal law (La. C.C.P. art. 253(B)(2)).
SourceWhat 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 Jefferson Parish
In Louisiana a death is registered locally, and in Jefferson Parish certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Jefferson Parish Health Unit - Marrero as well as by Louisiana Department of Health - Vital Records Registry.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Health Department
Jefferson Parish · Jefferson Parish Health Unit - Marrero
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
1855 Ames Boulevard, Marrero, LA 70072
Website
Also issued by
The county recorder
Fax
1-504-349-8817
Local rule
- By law the local registrar at this unit or at Metairie can issue a death certificate only in the ten days after it is filed. The Clerk of Court also issues death certificates at Gretna, Harvey and Metairie, walk-ins welcome, for deaths on or after July 7, 2012.
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $7 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Coroner
Jefferson Parish · Jefferson Parish Coroner
Phone
Office
2018 8th Street, Harvey, LA 70058
Website
Cremation authorization
Signed by this office
Mail and offices
After hours
1-504-365-9100 (press 4 for death investigation)
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in Jefferson 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 Jefferson Parish are recorded with the Clerk of Court at 200 Derbigny Street, Suite 2200, Gretna, LA 70053. Phone: 1-504-364-2943. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM.
Documents submitted by mail go to P.O. Box 10, Gretna, LA 70054-0010.
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.
Jefferson Parish accepts electronic recording through JeffNet.
Recording Office Record
Clerk of Court
Jefferson Parish
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Office
200 Derbigny Street, Suite 2200, Gretna, LA 70053
Website
E-recording
P.O. Box 10
Gretna, LA 70054-0010
Fax
1-504-362-6356
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 Jefferson 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 a Jefferson 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.
Practices from Metairie and handles successions in Orleans, St. Tammany, Jefferson, Lafourche, St. John and Terrebonne parishes. Represents heirs and succession representatives in successions with and without administration, probate of wills and small successions, and litigates will contests and representative removals. Also answers Medicaid estate recovery claims.
Practices from Metairie in Jefferson Parish for clients throughout the New Orleans metro area. Attorney R. Scott Buhrer, in practice since 1986, administers testate and intestate successions, represents both challengers and administrators in contested successions, and handles interdictions. He holds an MBA from Tulane University, applied to estates with business interests.
Practices from Metairie, New Orleans and Hammond, serving Jefferson, Orleans and Tangipahoa parishes, and has handled successions since its founding in 1989. Handles succession and estate administration, trust administration, and estate and trust litigation over will validity, trust management and the distribution of estate assets, with estate, gift and income tax planning.
Mid-City New Orleans firm founded in 1967, now run by Vincent B. "Chip" LoCoco, serving Orleans, Jefferson, St. Tammany and St. Bernard parishes. It handles probate of the will and the succession, from the petition and executor appointment through inventory, payment of debts and distribution to heirs, as well as interdictions and special needs planning.
Metairie firm handling Louisiana successions and trust litigation for the New Orleans area, including ancillary successions for out-of-state clients with Louisiana property. Represents executors, heirs and legatees in insolvent successions, contested wills, usufructuary accounting and creditor claims, and trustees and beneficiaries in trust disputes. Led by board-certified Beau P. Sagona.
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)
- Jefferson Parish District Court, official page
- Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court, official page
- Jefferson 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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