Louisiana Circuit Courts of Appeal
Encyclopedia
The Louisiana Circuit Courts of Appeal are the intermediate appellate court
s for the state
of Louisiana
.
There are five circuits
, each covering a different group of parishes. Each circuit is subdivided into three districts.
Like with the Louisiana Supreme Court
, the regular judicial terms on the courts of appeal are ten years.
The courts of appeal are housed in the following cities in Louisiana:
First Circuit - Baton Rouge
Second Circuit - Shreveport. See Walter O. Bigby
, O. E. Price, and Harmon Drew, Jr.
Third Circuit - Lake Charles
Fourth Circuit - New Orleans. See Albert Estopinal, Jr.
Fifth Circuit - Gretna
over all civil matters
, all matters appealed from family and juvenile courts, and most criminal cases
that are triable by a jury
. A court of appeal also has supervisory jurisdiction to review interlocutory orders and decrees in cases which are heard in the trial courts within their geographical circuits.
One unique feature of the Courts of Appeal of Louisiana is that they are able to review questions of fact, as well as questions of law, in civil cases. In appeals of criminal cases, however, the appellate jurisdiction of the courts of appeal extends only to questions of law.
Appellate court
An appellate court, commonly called an appeals court or court of appeals or appeal court , is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal...
s for the state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
.
There are five circuits
Circuit court
Circuit court is the name of court systems in several common law jurisdictions.-History:King Henry II instituted the custom of having judges ride around the countryside each year to hear appeals, rather than forcing everyone to bring their appeals to London...
, each covering a different group of parishes. Each circuit is subdivided into three districts.
Like with the Louisiana Supreme Court
Louisiana Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Louisiana is the highest court and court of last resort in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The modern Supreme Court, composed of seven justices, meets in the French Quarter of New Orleans....
, the regular judicial terms on the courts of appeal are ten years.
The courts of appeal are housed in the following cities in Louisiana:
First Circuit - Baton Rouge
Second Circuit - Shreveport. See Walter O. Bigby
Walter O. Bigby
Walter Oliver Bigby, Sr. , was a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Bossier Parish, having served from 1968 until 1979. Often called the "Dean of the House" because of his reputation for integrity, fairness, and hard work, Bigby was a son-in-law of banker and former...
, O. E. Price, and Harmon Drew, Jr.
Harmon Drew, Jr.
Richard Harmon Drew, Jr. , is a Louisiana judge, legal lecturer, and rhythm-and-blues musician. He is serving a second 10-year term on his state's Second Circuit Court of Appeal, based in Shreveport.-Ancestry:...
Third Circuit - Lake Charles
Fourth Circuit - New Orleans. See Albert Estopinal, Jr.
Albert Estopinal, Jr.
Albert Estopinal, Jr. , was an attorney and politician from St. Bernard Parish in south Louisiana whose career extended from the 19th to the 20th centuries.-Early life and education:...
Fifth Circuit - Gretna
Jurisdiction
The Circuit Courts of Appeal have appellate jurisdictionAppellate jurisdiction
Appellate jurisdiction is the power of the Supreme Court to review decisions and change outcomes of decisions of lower courts. Most appellate jurisdiction is legislatively created, and may consist of appeals by leave of the appellate court or by right...
over all civil matters
Civil law (common law)
Civil law, as opposed to criminal law, is the branch of law dealing with disputes between individuals or organizations, in which compensation may be awarded to the victim...
, all matters appealed from family and juvenile courts, and most criminal cases
Criminal law
Criminal law, is the body of law that relates to crime. It might be defined as the body of rules that defines conduct that is not allowed because it is held to threaten, harm or endanger the safety and welfare of people, and that sets out the punishment to be imposed on people who do not obey...
that are triable by a jury
Jury
A jury is a sworn body of people convened to render an impartial verdict officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a penalty or judgment. Modern juries tend to be found in courts to ascertain the guilt, or lack thereof, in a crime. In Anglophone jurisdictions, the verdict may be guilty,...
. A court of appeal also has supervisory jurisdiction to review interlocutory orders and decrees in cases which are heard in the trial courts within their geographical circuits.
One unique feature of the Courts of Appeal of Louisiana is that they are able to review questions of fact, as well as questions of law, in civil cases. In appeals of criminal cases, however, the appellate jurisdiction of the courts of appeal extends only to questions of law.