2024 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 165
BY SENATOR BARROW
A RESOLUTION
To authorize and request the Senate Committee on Finance, or a subcommittee thereof, to
study and make recommendations on court costs in suits involving the state and
political subdivisions in the Nineteenth Judicial District Court prior to the convening
of the 2025 Regular Session of the Legislature of Louisiana.
WHEREAS, the Nineteenth Judicial District Court serves as the state district court
in the capital of Louisiana, handling litigation involving state agencies included in R.S.
36:4(A) as well as many other state and local governmental entities; and
WHEREAS, the Nineteenth Judicial District Court stands apart from other district
courts in that it is the proper venue for the majority of suits filed by or against the state of
Louisiana or any state agency under the provisions of R.S. 13:5104; and
WHEREAS, although these suits filed by the state or any state agency require the
same handling as any other civil suit filing, the state as a filing party does not pay any
advanced costs based upon the provisions of R.S. 13:4521; and
WHEREAS, the Nineteenth Judicial District Court is burdened with the expenses
associated with a proceeding until such a time, which is indeterminable or may never occur,
that there is a resolution to the proceeding; and
WHEREAS, each year the state accrues an additional debt owed to the Nineteenth
Judicial District Court of approximately $725,000; and
WHEREAS, the Nineteenth Judicial District Court has on record over $3.4 million
in unpaid filing costs, an annual average of $678,032, related to litigation involving state
agencies; and
WHEREAS, the overall outstanding balance for unpaid advanced costs owed by the
state presently exceeds $7 million based upon a review of the past ten years; and
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WHEREAS, it is a priority to establish the full amount of the expenses that the
Nineteenth Judicial District Court absorbs from proceedings filed by the state and political
subdivisions; and
WHEREAS, it is imperative to identify a dedicated funding source to defray the costs
associated with these proceedings and compensate the Nineteenth Judicial District Court.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby authorize and request the Senate Committee on Finance, or a subcommittee
thereof, to study and make recommendations on court costs in suits involving the state and
political subdivisions in the Nineteenth Judicial District Court prior to the convening of the
2025 Regular Session of the Legislature of Louisiana.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
Nineteenth Judicial District Court.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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