Welcome to Baton Rouge City Court

New! – Mediation Program is now available for Small Claims suits and Eviction matters. Click here to find out more.

FAQ's

Baton Rouge City Court is a municipal court of record created in 1900 by La. R.S. 13:2071, and extended by the Plan of Government. This court processes civil, criminal, and traffic matters. Civil claims include personal injury, contract, and landlord-tenant cases up to $35,000, as well as, small claims cases of $5,000 or less. It also has criminal jurisdiction over misdemeanors that are offenses generally punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000 and/or a jail term of not more than six months. All fines, costs, and forfeitures levied by the judges are collected by the Clerk’s Office and deposited into the City-Parish general fund.

The mission of this Court is to fairly and impartially facilitate the administration of justice and to promote public confidence and trust by protecting and safeguarding individual rights and liberties.

We pledge to develop, institute, and maintain policies and practices which support this mission and furnish access to this Court by all persons.

Pursuant to Court Order, all electronic devices, including cell phones, cameras, tape recorders, and computer laptops are prohibited from entering the City Court facility. Attorneys presenting a current Louisiana Bar Card are allowed to enter with such devices in accordance with said Order .

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I check the status of a case online?

The following reports are available online for you to check various civil and criminal cases. You can access these online reports by going to our Case & Docket Information.

• Civil Docket
• Civil Case Status Sorted by Attorney
• Civil Answers Filed Per Case
• Civil Summons Return List
• Criminal Dockets
• Civil New Suits Filings
• Delinquent Parking Tickets
• City Court Warrants

Does your court handle divorce matters?

No. Divorce matters are handled through Family Court. They can be reached at (225) 389-5118.

What payment methods do you accept for payment of fines, fees and court costs?

City Court accepts cash, checks made payable to the City of Baton Rouge (no temporary checks), Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover Card. A 5% processing fee is charged to credit card payments. A $50.00 NSF fee is charged on all checks returned unpaid for criminal/traffic payments. Payments by check can be made in person at 233 St. Louis Street, Baton Rouge, LA or mailed to Baton Rouge City Court, Accounting Division, P.O. Box 3438, Baton Rouge, LA. 70821. A payment by mail postmarked AFTER your court appearance date must include and additional $50 penalty fee. Credit card payments can be made in person or by telephone by calling (225) 389-5289. Please have your ticket number and credit card number available when you call.

Credit card payments can also be made through the City Court Online Payment Center or through the City Court automated phone payment system, which can be reached by dialing (225) 344-4636, and pressing extension 5050. Only Visa and MasterCard are accepted through these automated payment systems.

What if I can’t pay my fine? Can I do community service work in lieu of my fine or make partial payments?

Community Service Work and Partial Payment plans are available in some cases. If you cannot pay your fine by the scheduled court date, you must appear in person in Room 145 to have your case file pulled and reviewed. Failure to appear timely will result in the issuance of a bench warrant for your arrest, withdrawal of your driving privileges, and the assessment of additional penalty fees. All City Court Warrants for arrest are posted on the City Court websiteWarrant Page.

Do I have to provide proof of insurance for a vehicle that is not mine?

If you do not have proof of insurance, regardless if the vehicle is yours, you will be required to appear in court on the scheduled court appearance date.

How do I get a case disposition or copy of court minutes?

You will need to appear in person in Room 145. The following costs will apply:

• Court Minutes at $.50 per page
• Certified Court Minutes at $1. per page

Where can I get a Criminal Background check for my job?

Background checks for the City are performed in the Criminal Records Division at the Baton Rouge Police Department located at 504 Mayflower or at Parish Prison.

What kind of classes do you offer?

Baton Rouge City Court offers various Educational and Rehabilitative Courses designed to:

• Address problems associated with alcohol and substance abuse
• Encourage behavior modification in anger management and domestic violence situations
• Foster an awareness of appropriate and effective decision making
• Provide literacy enhancement
• Promote safe driving in an effort to reduce accidents, deaths, and injuries that result from impaired or careless driving

Classes are currently held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5 p.m.–7 p.m. and Saturdays from 7:45 a.m.–3 p.m. The cost varies by class and ranges from $30 to $105, depending on the class taken. You may contact our Court Services Division at (225) 389-5124 for more information.

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