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 Lafayette Parish, Louisiana
How probate works in Lafayette Parish: the District Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Lafayette Parish District Court
Lafayette Parish · 15th Judicial District
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Office
800 South Buchanan Street, Lafayette, LA 70501
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
E-filing
OptionalCivil and criminal filings may be made electronically through Clerk Connect. Mortgages, conveyances and other land records are e-recorded through CSC, ePN or Simplifile.
P.O. Box 2009
Lafayette, LA 70502
Fax
1-337-291-6392
Departments
- Successions1-337-291-6312
- Civil Department1-337-291-6316Files civil suits, adoptions and successions and everything filed in them.
- Civil Court Cost1-337-291-6314Collects the advance deposit and the costs that accrue in a suit.
- Civil Records1-337-291-6303 · civilrecordsrequest@lpclerk.comTakes requests for regular and certified copies; payment is required before a request is processed.
About the court
- Louisiana uses "succession" instead of "probate" (civil law tradition). The Civil Department in the Lafayette Parish Courthouse handles successions and everything filed in them, and the 15th Judicial District also includes Acadia and Vermilion Parishes.
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Lafayette 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 Lafayette Parish, probate runs through the District Court at 800 South Buchanan Street, Lafayette. The court sits in the 15th Judicial District. Lafayette Parish shares the 15th Judicial District with Acadia and Vermilion.
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 Lafayette Parish
What probate costs in Lafayette 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 800 South Buchanan Street, Lafayette. The court is part of the 15th Judicial District.
Procedures at this court that affect cost: Succession advance deposit required at filing.
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 Lafayette 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.
Beside the filing office, the court lists separate lines for Successions, Civil Department, Civil Court Cost, and Civil Records.
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 Lafayette Parish Self-Filing Assessment.
Lafayette 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
Original documents deposited for recording are not returned.
Documents deposited with the Clerk of the District Court and Ex-Officio Recorder become part of the parish archives and are not returned to the sender.
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 Lafayette Parish
In Louisiana a death is registered locally, and in Lafayette Parish certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Lafayette Parish Health Unit as well as by Louisiana Department of Health - Vital Records Registry.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Health Department
Lafayette Parish · Lafayette Parish Health Unit
Phone
Office
220 West Willow Street, Building A, Lafayette, LA 70501
Website
Also issued by
The county recorder
Fax
1-337-262-5399
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, for deaths from July 9, 2012 on.
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $7 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Coroner
Lafayette Parish · Lafayette Parish Coroner
Phone
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in Lafayette 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 Lafayette Parish are recorded with the Clerk of Court at 800 South Buchanan Street, Lafayette, LA 70501. Phone: 1-337-291-6310. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM.
Documents submitted by mail go to P.O. Box 2009, Lafayette, LA 70502.
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.
Lafayette Parish accepts electronic recording through CSC, ePN and Simplifile.
Recording Office Record
Clerk of Court
Lafayette Parish
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Office
800 South Buchanan Street, Lafayette, LA 70501
Website
E-recording
available via CSC, ePN and Simplifile
P.O. Box 2009
Lafayette, LA 70502
Fax
1-337-291-6393
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 Lafayette 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 Lafayette 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 firm that has handled family and estate matters throughout Acadiana since 2012, with retired judge Phyllis M. Keaty as of counsel. Handles successions for families after a death, including successions involving real estate, and prepares wills, trusts, special needs trusts and Medicaid plans.
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.
Lafayette business and estate firm guiding succession administrators and executors from probate of a will through distribution. Handles valuation of succession assets and limiting tax exposure, represents both succession representatives and will challengers, and handles tutorships for a decedent's minor children. William P. Stubbs, Jr. is a board-certified tax law specialist.
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.
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)
- Lafayette Parish District Court, official page
- Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court, official page
- Lafayette 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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