RÉSUMÉ DIGEST
ACT 210 (HB 221) 2019 Regular Session Stefanski
Existing law establishes mayor's courts with jurisdiction over all violations of municipal
ordinances.
New law expands the current jurisdiction of mayor's courts to allow for the collection of
municipal utility debts. New law provides that this jurisdiction shall be concurrent with the
district courts where the amount in question does not exceed $5,000. If the amount in
question exceeds the jurisdictional limits of the mayor's court, new law requires the action
to be transferred to a court of proper jurisdiction.
New law requires the court to appoint a lawyer to serve as a court magistrate to hear all civil
utility debt suits and authorizes the magistrate to impose court costs against the debtor not
to exceed $35.
New law provides that any person against whom a judgment is rendered in a mayor’s court
shall have the right of direct appeal to the district court for the parish in which the mayor’s
court is situated which shall be tried de novo. New law requires the judge to inform the
appellant of this right.
New law requires the appeal to be filed within 10 days of the date of the judgment and
authorizes the district court to assess costs as authorized by law to the party against whom
judgment is rendered.
New law provides that a party against whom a judgment is rendered shall be given written
notice of the right to an appeal within 10 days of rendering of judgment.
New law provides that delay for appeal shall not run until the day after notice has been
provided to the party.
New law provides that there shall be no prepayment of court costs once the appellant has
been determined to be indigent.
New law shall not apply to Jefferson Parish.
Effective upon signature of governor (June 11, 2019).
(Adds R.S. 33:441(A)(5))