RÉSUMÉ DIGEST
ACT 126 (HB 62) 2020 Regular Session Wilford Carter
Existing law creates the office of magistrate judge of the 14th Judicial District Court and
provides that the magistrate judge shall be elected from election sections one and three
combined.
Existing law also provides that the magistrate judge shall serve a six-year term and that the
position is a full-time position in which the magistrate judge is prohibited from practicing
law.
Existing law further provides that the initial election shall occur in the fall of 2020 and that
the term shall begin Jan. 1, 2021.
New law provides that the magistrate judge shall be elected at large from the 14th Judicial
District instead of being elected from specific election sections.
New law specifies that precincts referenced in district descriptions in new law are those
contained in the file named "2018 Precinct Shapefiles" published on the La. House of
Representatives website.
Existing law provides that the 14th Judicial District Court shall have nine judges.
Prior law provided that two judges (Divisions F and H) were required to be elected from
election section one, four judges (Divisions B, C, D, and G) were required to be elected from
election section two, two judges (Divisions A and E) were required to be elected from
election section three, and one judge (Division I) was required to be elected from election
sections one and three combined.
New law repeals prior law and requires three judges to be elected from each election section:
Divisions F, H, and J shall be elected from election section one; Divisions C, D, and G shall
be elected from election section two; and Divisions A, B, and E shall be elected from
election section three.
New law creates a new judgeship (Division J) effective Jan. 1, 2021, to be elected at the
congressional election in 2020, and limits the subject matter jurisdiction of Division J to
family and juvenile matters.
New law eliminates the Division I judgeship effective midnight, Dec. 31, 2020.
New law retains the jurisdiction of Divisions A and C over family and juvenile matters.
Effective upon signature of governor (June 9, 2020).
(Amends R.S. 13:477(14), 589(A), and 621.14)