Two Additional Commissioners Approved by Legislature

On June 8, 2023, Governor Jon Bel Edwards signed Act 229 into law with an effective date of August 1, 2023. This Act amended La. R.S. 13:711, 712 & 713 related to the Commissioners at the 19th Judicial District Court. In sum, two additional Commissioners with equal authority were approved by the legislature. The caveat is that the Court is required to seek local funding to pay for the salaries of both the Commissioners and their support staff. The court is making an amendment to its budget request to the City Parish. If the funding is approved, the new “Commissioners’ Court” will bring enormous positive changes to the case flow at the 19th JDC. Although the Commissioners focus is primarily criminal in nature, there are a few key civil matters that the Commissioners will handle. These will have overall positive impacts on the civil case flow as well.