LouisianaJudges would set court costs in some Fourth District cases
In the Fourth Judicial District, judges would set costs for some civil and criminal cases, up to a stated maximum, with exemptions for certain civil filers.
What it does
The provision sets a maximum of $35 for judge-set costs in covered civil and criminal cases. Civil filers exempt from court costs are excluded; criminal costs apply after conviction or bond forfeiture.
Argument forIf judges set costs at the allowed maximum, the court fund could receive more money to support court expenses.
Argument againstPeople who file civil cases or are convicted could pay higher court costs, adding to the expense of bringing a case or facing a conviction.
More detail
Clerks would collect a judge-set fee from covered civil case filers, and courts would charge certain criminal defendants a judge-set cost. The provision covers civil suits or proceedings filed in the Fourth Judicial District and criminal cases within that district court's jurisdiction. Civil filers exempt from court costs by law would not pay this fee. In criminal cases, the cost applies only to defendants convicted after trial, pleading guilty, or forfeiting bond.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jun 23Becomes Act No. 919 without the Governor's signature.Latest
- Jun 23Effective date: 08/01/2026.
- May 26Sent to the Governor for executive approval.To Governor
- May 25Received from the Senate without amendments.Minor
- May 25Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.Minor
- May 25Signed by the President of the Senate.
- May 21Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 31 yeas and 5 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.Passed Senate
- Vote recorded FINAL PASSAGE (#1117). Result: pass.Upper
- May 13Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.Minor
- May 12Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
- May 11Reported favorably.Minor
- Apr 20Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Finance.Minor
- Apr 15Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 83, nays 13. The bill, having received two-thirds vote of the elected members, was finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.Passed House
- Vote recorded FINAL PASSAGE (#539). Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 15Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.Minor
- Apr 14Scheduled for floor debate on 04/15/2026.
- Apr 13Read by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.Minor
- Apr 9Reported favorably (14-0).Minor
- Mar 9Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Judiciary.Minor
- Feb 27First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.
- Feb 26Prefiled.Minor
- Feb 26Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Judiciary.Introduced
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