The City Court of Lafayette, Louisiana was established in 1910 and is domiciled in the City of Lafayette, having two city judges and a city marshal. Our court has a staff of over 30 people to help serve the patrons of our court. The City Marshal has a staff of over 20 deputies and employees. Our court handles civil, criminal, juvenile and traffic matters.

Our Court’s territorial jurisdiction extends over all territory which is now or hereafter included within the corporate limits of the City of Lafayette and throughout the third and tenth wards of the Parish of Lafayette.

Our Court’s Civil jurisdiction includes, but are not limited to, claims for personal injury, general damages, contract, open account, commercial paper where the amount of the claim does not exceed $35,000 and small claims suits, where the amount of the claim does not exceed $5,000. Our court handles Landlord-Tenant matters (Evictions). Our court cannot hear cases that involve title to immovable property; a case involving the right to public office or position; a case in which the plaintiff asserts civil or political rights under the federal or state constitutions; a claim for annulment of marriage, divorce, separation of property, or alimony; a succession, interdiction, receivership, liquidation, habeas corpus, or quo warranto proceeding; a case in which the state, or a parish, municipal, or other political corporation is a defendant; or any other case or proceeding excepted from the jurisdiction of these courts by law. We also cannot handle cases involving tutorship, curatorship, emancipation, and partition proceedings.

Our Court’s Criminal jurisdiction includes alleged violations of any State Misdemeanor Criminal laws and/or Lafayette Consolidated Government City Ordinance violations that occur within the territorial jurisdiction of our court.

Our Court also has jurisdiction over juvenile traffic and criminal offenses and provides other juvenile services including FINS (Families in Need of Service) and CINC (Child in Need of Care) matters.