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The 24th Judicial District Court

The 24th JDC has original jurisdiction over all civil and criminal matters in Jefferson Parish, except certain juvenile matters. It also has appellate jurisdiction over appeals from the parish's city courts. The court has grown to 16 elected divisions, a Criminal Commissioner's Court, a Domestic Commissioner's Court, and four hearing officers. It is the busiest court in the parish and the place where the most serious cases are heard.

The official 24th JDC jurisdiction and history page is shown below.

Records for the court are kept by the Clerk and searched through JeffNet, as the Jefferson Parish court records page explains.

Court Hierarchy in Louisiana

Louisiana builds its courts in layers. District courts are the general trial courts. Above them sit five circuit courts of appeal, and at the top is the state's highest court. Below the district court sit limited-jurisdiction courts such as parish, city, and justice courts. A case moves up this ladder when it is appealed.

Case flow: Parish or City Court › 24th Judicial District Court › Louisiana Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal › Louisiana Supreme Court

The official Louisiana judicial branch overview is shown below.

The official Louisiana Supreme Court site is shown below.

Divisions A Through P

The 24th JDC has 16 elected divisions, each with its own judge, labeled A through P. All sit at the Donelon Building in Gretna and share the main court line. Cases are assigned across the divisions. The table lists each division and its judge.

Commissioners and Hearing Officers

Beyond the 16 judges, the court uses commissioners and hearing officers to handle specific work. The Criminal Commissioner sets bonds and handles first appearances, reachable at 504-364-3927. The Domestic Commissioner handles family matters at 504-364-3745. Four hearing officers handle assigned proceedings. This structure spreads the workload and keeps cases moving.

The Jefferson Parish court dockets page explains how each division and commissioner publishes case activity.

District Court Versus Parish and Lower Courts

The parish has several court levels, and they handle different work. The district court takes the heaviest cases, while parish courts handle smaller matters. The table compares the levels.

Specialty Courts

The 24th JDC runs problem-solving courts alongside its regular work. The home page lists Drug Court, DWI Court, Intensive Probation Services, Reentry Court, and Swift & Certain Probation. Each division has referral forms, so referrals are built into the normal process. These courts steer eligible defendants into supervised treatment or reentry rather than a standard sentence.

Courthouse Rules and Entry

The court enforces strict entry rules. Everyone enters and leaves through doors set by security. On entry, all phones and electronic communication devices must be turned off and stay off unless a judge allows use. Public visitors enter through the General Government Building rotunda. The building is open 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., while offices run 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The official courthouse rules page is shown below.

Getting to the Courthouse

The court sits at 200 Derbigny Street in Gretna, near Derbigny and 3rd Street. East Bank visitors cross the Crescent City Connection, take the West Bank Expressway to the Lafayette Street exit, then follow the service road to Derbigny and turn right. A multi-level garage stands at Derbigny and 3rd, and on-street parking nearby is restricted.

The official arriving and parking page is shown below.

Jury Service

The court has used a one-day or one-trial jury system since January 1990. Jurors park at the Derbigny and 3rd Street garage and validate the ticket with jury pool staff, since the city no longer offers free meter parking for jurors. The jury lounge offers coffee, water, vending, internet, and laptop space.

The official jury assembly page is shown below.

Bail and Bonds

After an arrest, a person is booked at the parish lockup. The Criminal Commissioners set bonds during court hours, and one is on call around the clock. They use a bond range chart that weighs the charge and the person's history. The four bond paths are cash, surety, property, and own recognizance.

The official bail bonds page is shown below.

The Jefferson Parish inmate records page covers booking and bond in more detail.

Collections and Court Costs

The court runs a Collections Office for court costs, fines, and restitution. Payments can be made in office or online through GovPayNet for eligible fines and fees. Keeping current on court costs matters, since unpaid amounts can affect a case.

The official Collections Office page is shown below.

Donelon Building History

The court sits in the Thomas F. Donelon Building, once the Annex to the parish courthouse. The Annex went up in 1969 with two floors, then gained three more in the late 1970s. It housed the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal and the District Attorney before both moved out in the early 2000s. A full renovation ran from October 2004 to January 2007. The court's first judge took office on December 22, 1924.

Appeals to the Fifth Circuit

A party who loses at the 24th JDC can appeal to the Louisiana Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal. From there, a case may reach the Louisiana Supreme Court. The appeals court reviews the record and the law rather than holding a new trial. The district court also hears appeals from the parish's city courts, so it sits in the middle of the ladder, taking some appeals while sending others up.

The official Louisiana Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal site is shown below.

Related Jefferson Parish Record Searches

You may also want court records, court dockets, the Clerk of Court page, or arrest records.