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HLS 26RS-3326 REENGROSSED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 1252 (Substitute for House Bill No. 1165 by Representative Deshotel)
BY REPRESENTATIVE DESHOTEL
COURTS: Provides relative to the city court system in Avoyelles Parish
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 13:1952(introductory paragraph) and (7), 2488.51(A) through
3 (C), 2488.57, 2488.58(A), and 2488.59 and to enact R.S. 13:2488.51(F), relative to
4 the city courts of Avoyelles Parish; to provide for the jurisdiction of the city court
5 of Bunkie; to provide for the jurisdiction of the city court of Marksville; to provide
6 for elections; to provide for the appellate review of justice of the peace decisions; to
7 provide for the imposition and payment of fees in the city courts of Bunkie and
8 Marksville; and to provide for related matters.
9 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
10 Section 1. R.S. 13:1952(introductory paragraph) and (7), 2488.51(A) through (C),
11 2488.57, 2488.58(A), and 2488.59 are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
12 13:2488.51(F) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
13 §1952. Courts created by special legislative Act
14 The following city courts, heretofore created and established by special
15 legislative Act, are hereby recognized and continued in existence and, except as
16 otherwise provided in this Section, their the respective territorial jurisdiction shall
17 extend through the city and ward or wards wherein the city in which they are each
18 court is domiciled is located, as such boundaries may be extended from time to time:
19 * * *
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1 (7)(a) The City Court of Bunkie, domiciled in the city of Bunkie, parish of
2 Avoyelles, having one city judge and a city marshal; its territorial jurisdiction shall
3 extend over all territory which is now or hereafter included throughout wards seven,
4 eight, nine and ten of the parish of Avoyelles. The city court shall have a small
5 claims division and shall have concurrent jurisdiction with the Twelfth Judicial
6 District Court in all criminal misdemeanor cases, civil cases with disputes less than
7 fifty thousand dollars, and juvenile matters.
8 (b) The city judge and marshal of Bunkie shall be elected by the qualified
9 electors of Wards seven, eight, nine and ten of Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, at the
10 general election for Representatives in Congress, to be held in Louisiana on the first
11 Tuesday next following the first Monday in November, 2026 and every six years
12 thereafter.
13 * * *
14 §2488.51. City Court of Marksville; officials and employees; jurisdiction;
15 provisions governing
16 A. The offices of the justice of the peace and constable in Ward 2 of
17 Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, the Mayor's Court of the Town of Marksville,
18 Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, are abolished, and there is hereby created and
19 established a court, to be styled the City Court of the Town of Marksville, Louisiana,
20 the territorial jurisdiction of which shall extend throughout the town of Marksville,
21 Louisiana and throughout the whole of Ward 2 wards one, two, three, four, five, six
22 and eleven, Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana. The court shall be composed of a city
23 judge, a marshal, and a clerk of said the court. The offices of city judge and marshal
24 shall be filled initially by appointment by the governor. The court shall be domiciled
25 in Marksville, Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana.
26 B. The offices of the justice of the peace and constable of Ward 2 of
27 Avoyelles Parish are hereby abolished upon the expiration of the terms of office of
28 the incumbent justices of the peace and constables thereof. Until the expiration of
29 the terms of office of the incumbent justices of the peace and constables, the
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1 jurisdiction of the justice of the peace court shall be exclusive jurisdiction to the
2 extent of the jurisdiction presently vested in the justice of the peace court by the
3 constitution and the laws of this state. The justice of the peace and constable courts
4 in wards one, three, four, five, six and eleven shall work in conjunction with the city
5 court. There shall be no justice of the peace or mayor's court in ward two.
6 C. The city judge and marshal appointed by the governor shall serve until
7 their successors are elected by the qualified electors of Ward 2 of Avoyelles Parish,
8 Louisiana, at the general election for Representatives in Congress, to be held in
9 Louisiana on the first Tuesday next following the first Monday in November, 1974,
10 and their successors shall be elected thereafter in conformity with the provisions of
11 Article VII of Section 51 of the Louisiana Constitution of 1921 and other applicable
12 provisions of the law. The city court shall have a small claims division and shall
13 have concurrent jurisdiction with the Twelfth Judicial District Court in all criminal
14 misdemeanor cases, civil cases with disputes less than fifty thousand dollars, and
15 juvenile matters.
16 D. The city judge and marshal of Marksville shall be elected by the qualified
17 electors of Wards one, two, three, four, five, six, and eleven of Avoyelles Parish,
18 Louisiana, at the general election for Representatives in Congress, to be held in
19 Louisiana on the first Tuesday next following the first Monday in November, 2026
20 and every six years thereafter.
21 * * *
22 F. All cases appealable from the justice of the peace courts in wards one,
23 three, four, five, six and eleven shall be reviewable and appealable to the city court
24 in the manner as prescribed in the Code of Civil Procedure Article 2081, et seq. and
25 made a matter of record.
26 * * *
27 §2488.57. Collection of fines, forfeitures, penalties, and costs
28 A. The city judge, or any officer of the city court designated by the city
29 judge, shall collect all fines, forfeitures, penalties, and costs, and all funds so
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1 collected funds, excluding costs, shall be paid into the town treasury of the town of
2 Marksville when the prosecution is on behalf of the town, and into the parish
3 treasury when the prosecution is on behalf of the state or the parish.
4 B. The city judge may engage a study or seek out grants for the
5 implementation of an online method for the payment of fines and for virtual court
6 appearances. The expenses for any study are to be paid with proceeds from the
7 court's criminal fund upon the approval the city and parish governing authorities.
8 §2488.58. Criminal matters; costs
9 A. In all criminal matters, including traffic violation cases, the city judge
10 may assess, in addition to the fine or other penalty imposed, costs of court in an
11 amount not to exceed eight twenty dollars.
12 * * *
13 §2488.59. Civil matters; costs
14 In all civil matters, in addition to any other costs or fees provided by law, the
15 city judge may assess an additional cost of court in an amount not to exceed ten
16 twenty dollars, except as otherwise provided by law.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 1252 Reengrossed 2026 Regular Session Deshotel
Abstract: Provides relative to the city court system in Avoyelles Parish.
Present law provides for one city court judge in Marksville and one city court judge in
Bunkie. Both city court judgeships are located in Avoyelles Parish.
Proposed law retains present law but expands the geographical jurisdiction of the Marksville
city court to include all of wards one, two, three, four, five, six and eleven of Avoyelles
Parish. Further extends the geographical jurisdiction of the Bunkie city court to include
wards seven, eight, nine and ten of Avoyelles Parish.
Proposed law requires the city judge and marshal of Bunkie to be elected by the electors of
wards seven, eight, nine, and ten of Avoyelles Parish at the general election for
Representatives in Congress every six years.
Proposed law requires the city judge and marshal of Marksville to be elected by the electors
of wards one, two, three, four, five, six, and eleven of Avoyelles Parish at the general
election for Representatives in Congress every six years.
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Proposed law provides for both city courts to have a small claims division and concurrent
jurisdiction with the 12th Judicial District Court in all criminal misdemeanor cases, civil
cases with disputes less than $50,000, and juvenile matters.
Present law provides for the payment of salaries for a marshal, clerk of court, and deputy
clerks, as well as expenses for the operation and maintenance of the courtroom and offices
of the city court to be paid by the town of Marksville and the parish of Avoyelles.
Proposed law retains present law.
Proposed law requires the justice of the peace courts and constable courts in wards one,
three, four, five, six and eleven to work in conjunction with the city court in Marksville.
Further provides that there is no justice of the peace or mayor's court in ward two.
Present law provides for the collection and deposit of fines, forfeitures, penalties, fees, and
costs in criminal and civil matters by the city judge in Marksville.
Proposed law retains present law and provides that the city judge may seek grants or engage
a study for the implementation of an online method of payment of fines and for virtual court
appearances. Permits the use of proceeds from the court's criminal fund upon the approval
of the city and parish governing authorities.
Present law provides that the city judge may impose a fine in criminal matters of $8.
Proposed law increases the fine in present law from $8 to $20.
Present law provides that the city judge may impose a fine in civil matters not to exceed $10.
Proposed law increases the fine in present law from $10 to $20, except as otherwise provided
by law.
(Amends R.S. 13:1952(intro. para.) and (7), 2488.51(A)-(C), 2488.57, 2488.58(A), and
2488.59; Adds R.S. 13:2488.51(F) and (G))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill:
1. Provide for the election of the city court judges and marshals in Bunkie and
Marksville at the general election for Representatives in Congress every six
years.
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