Lawyer in St. Tammany Parish (22nd JDC)

St. Tammany and Washington Parishes together make up the Twenty-Second Judicial District (La. R.S. 13:477(22)). The district court has twelve judges (La. R.S. 13:621.22(A)). According to the court, the judges of Divisions A through J hear civil and criminal cases, which are assigned at random. Divisions K and L are limited by statute to family and juvenile matters (La. R.S. 13:621.22(B)).

The court sits in two buildings:

• St. Tammany Parish Justice Center, 701 N. Columbia Street, Covington, LA 70433.
• Washington Parish Courthouse, 908 Washington Street, Franklinton, LA 70438.

An appeal from the 22nd JDC goes to the Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeal (La. R.S. 13:312(1)(a)).

Mandeville, Slidell, Madisonville, Abita Springs, Lacombe and Pearl River do not have their own district courts. A divorce in Mandeville, a succession in Madisonville and a felony charge in Lacombe all go to the same 22nd JDC in Covington.

Smaller matters can start in a lower court:

• City Court of East St. Tammany — formerly the City Court of Slidell. Its territory covers Wards 8 and 9 of the parish (La. R.S. 13:2487.1). City courts try only offenses within their territory that are not punishable at hard labor (La. R.S. 13:1894(A)). They also hear civil cases up to a dollar limit set by law (La. C.C.P. art. 4843) and evictions (La. C.C.P. art. 4844).
• Mandeville Mayor’s Court — misdemeanor traffic tickets, other misdemeanor arrests and summonses, and city ordinance violations from the Mandeville Police Department, according to the City of Mandeville.
• Pearl River mayor’s court — the statute that created the East St. Tammany city court left it in place (La. R.S. 13:2487.1).

The ticket, summons or petition you received names the court. Start there.

The court’s Family Court divisions hear divorce, custody, child support, paternity, partition of community property, protective-order hearings and adoptions. A divorce must be filed in a parish where either spouse is domiciled or in the parish of the last matrimonial domicile. That rule cannot be waived, and a judgment from the wrong parish is an absolute nullity (La. C.C.P. art. 3941).

When a family matter is filed in the 22nd JDC, the court assigns it to a hearing officer first. Louisiana law lets district courts use hearing officers as fact-finders who make written recommendations in custody, support and related matters (La. R.S. 46:236.5(C)). As of October 2026, the court’s website says:

• All hearing officer conferences are held by Zoom.
• The docket is posted after 4:00 p.m. on the business day before the conference.
• You email your Family Law Affidavit and supporting documents to the hearing officer and to the other side.
• No one else may be in the room with you, including your children, and no one may record the conference.

Under the 22nd JDC’s local rule, the affidavit and attachments are exchanged five business days before the conference (La. Dist. Ct. R., Title IV, App. 32.0B (22nd JDC) § II.D.1). The statewide conference order asks for documents like these (La. Dist. Ct. R., Title IV, App. 23.0D):

• Your last two years of federal tax returns, with W-2s and 1099s.
• Your last four pay stubs.
• Health insurance cards and the cost of coverage for each person.
• Child care and private school costs, with receipts.

The objection window after a recommendation is short. In most matters it is five days, exclusive of legal holidays, from issuance. For a recommendation on a judgment of divorce, a stipulation or court costs, the objection must be made the same business day, including a written objection filed with the clerk; follow the hearing officer’s and the clerk’s instructions on how to object, particularly when the conference is held by video (La. Dist. Ct. R., Title IV, App. 35.5(D) (22nd JDC)). After a hearing under La. C.C.P. art. 3945(D) or (F), the objection must also be made at the close of the hearing, then filed in writing within five days. More on our family law page.

A succession is opened in the district court of the parish where the person was domiciled at death (La. C.C.P. art. 2811). For a St. Tammany resident, that is the 22nd JDC. The Clerk of Court’s Civil Department handles succession filings. If the person lived outside Louisiana, the succession may be opened in a parish where the person owned immovable property (La. C.C.P. art. 2811) — see Louisiana property, out-of-state owner.

Some small successions do not have to be opened in court at all (La. C.C.P. art. 3431(A)). Our small succession article explains who qualifies.

The district attorney for the 22nd Judicial District decides whom to prosecute, when and how, for every criminal case in St. Tammany and Washington Parishes (La. C.Cr.P. art. 61). Felonies are tried in the 22nd JDC. The court holds Misdemeanor Court at least three times a month, on the first floor of the Justice Center and at the Washington Parish Courthouse.

The court also runs specialty programs, including an adult drug court, a sobriety court for DUI/DWI cases, a veterans court and a reentry court. See criminal defense.

From the court and the St. Tammany Clerk of Court, as of October 2026. Check before you go.

• Clerk of Court: Covington office in the Justice Center, Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., (985) 809-8700. The Slidell Annex is at 520 Old Spanish Trail, 5th floor, and closes from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. daily.
• E-filing: new suits and later pleadings can be filed through eClerksLA (Clerk Connect). Some original documents cannot be e-filed.
• Records: civil and criminal court records are searchable through re:SearchLA after you sign up.
• Hearing dates: matters are set by filing a docket slip with the Clerk. Some hearings can be held by Zoom; ask the judge’s office.
• Parking and security: free parking is in the garage and lot on Jefferson Street, across from the Justice Center. Expect a security screening, and turn your phone completely off in the courtroom.

Washington Parish is part of the same 22nd JDC (La. R.S. 13:477(22)). Its cases are heard at the Washington Parish Courthouse in Franklinton. Washington Parish has its own Clerk of Court. Free parking is on the surrounding streets. A lobby sign shows the Misdemeanor Court room for the day.

Bogalusa has its own city court (La. R.S. 13:1952(5)). Like other city courts, it handles smaller civil claims, evictions and offenses not punishable at hard labor (La. R.S. 13:1894(A)).