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Current as of January 01, 2023 | Updated by Findlaw Staff
A. Judges and justices of the peace may perform marriage ceremonies within the following territorial limits:
(1) A justice of the supreme court within the state;
(2) A judge of a court of appeals within the circuit;
(3) A judge of a district court within the district;
(4) A judge of a family court, juvenile court, parish court, city court, or, in Orleans Parish, a municipal or traffic court, within the parish in which the court is situated; and
(5) A justice of the peace within the parish in which the court of that justice of the peace is situated, and in any parish within the same supreme court district, or in a parish that has no justice of the peace court, except for Orleans Parish.
B. A judge's authority to perform marriage ceremonies continues after he retires.
C. A retired justice of the peace who has served a total of eighteen years in that capacity shall retain his authority to perform marriage ceremonies within the territorial limits authorized in Subsection A of this Section provided he registers to perform such ceremonies as required by R.S. 9:204.
D. Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph (A)(5) of this Section, a justice of the peace within any of the parishes of DeSoto, Bossier, Caddo, Bienville, Webster, or Red River may perform marriage ceremonies within any of these parishes.
E. (1) A United States District Court judge or magistrate judge of the Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, or Western District of Louisiana may perform marriage ceremonies in this state upon the adoption of a court rule, resolution, or standing order by a majority of the judges sitting en banc authorizing judges to perform such ceremonies.
(2) A judge of a court of the United States whose official duty station includes a municipality having a population in excess of one hundred five thousand but less than one hundred thirty thousand persons according to the latest decennial census may perform marriage ceremonies within his official duty station. The authority granted by this Paragraph shall be effective only from August 1, 2012, through September 1, 2012.
Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Louisiana Revised Statutes Tit. 9, § 203. Officiant; judges and justices of the peace - last updated January 01, 2023 | https://codes.findlaw.com/la/revised-statutes/la-rev-stat-tit-9-sect-203/
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