Estate Planning & Probate in Orleans Parish, Louisiana
Most Orleans Parish estate questions come down to one fork: avoid probate before a death, or work through it after one. Pick the path that fits, then work from the local Civil District Court details.
The Probate Process in Orleans 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 Orleans Parish, probate runs through the Civil District Court at 421 Loyola Avenue, Room 402, New Orleans. The court sits in the Orleans Parish Civil District.
Full Orleans Parishprobate guide: cost, how to file & attorneys →Probate Court Record
Civil District Court
Orleans Parish · Orleans Parish Civil District
Address
Phone
Hours
Recording Deeds & Property Documents
Recording Office Record
Clerk of Civil District Court, Land Records Division
Orleans Parish · Clerk of Court and Ex-Officio Recorder · Chelsey Richard Napoleon
Address
Phone
Fax
Hours
E-recording
$100 for 1-5 pages, $200 for 6-25 pages, $300 for 26-50 pages, $300 plus $5 for each page beyond 50; transfer tax may need separate review.
Full recording details →Verified September 5, 2026 · Source
Local Procedures at the Civil District Court
All succession matters in Orleans Parish are filed in the Civil Division under Docket 1, the Successions Department, on the 4th floor at 421 Loyola Avenue. The Civil District Court provides standardized numbered succession forms (Form 1 and following) for download; the consolidated packet is published as the All Succession Forms PDF.
Louisiana Estate Planning Articles
Articles about estate planning, probate, and trusts relevant to families in Orleans Parish.
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