New Orleans Judicial Reforms Advance in Louisiana Senate

Bills would reduce number of judges and merge court clerk positions to streamline operations.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 10:52pm

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Three bills introduced by Louisiana Senator Jay Morris would significantly reshape the New Orleans judicial system, including reducing the number of judges across the Civil District Court, Criminal District Court, and Municipal and Traffic Court. The legislation also calls for merging the judicial expense fund and consolidating the clerk of court positions for the civil and criminal district courts.

Why it matters

New Orleans has a higher number of judges compared to other large Louisiana parishes, despite having a lower overall population and caseload. Proponents argue the changes would 'right-size' the court system, while opponents warn it could cause delays and disrupt the administration of justice.

The details

Senate Bill 217 would reduce the number of Civil District Court judges from 14 to 12, Criminal District Court judges from 13 to 9, and Juvenile Court judges from 4 to 2. It would also cut the number of Municipal and Traffic Court judges from 7 to 5. The bills also call for merging the judicial expense fund, which is primarily funded through civil filings, and consolidating the clerk of court positions for the civil and criminal district courts.

  • The bills were introduced in the 2026 Louisiana legislative session.
  • The bills have passed through committee and are now headed to the full state Senate for consideration.

The players

Senator Jay Morris

A state senator from West Monroe who introduced the three bills to reshape the New Orleans judicial system.

Honorable Juana Lombard

The Chief Judge of the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court, who argued that Orleans Parish has a much higher caseload than other large Louisiana parishes.

Daniel Dysart

A judge on the Third District of the Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal, who warned the proposed reduction in appellate judges could cause delays.

Calvin Duncan

The Orleans Clerk of Court-elect, who said consolidating the clerk positions would 'destroy people's lives' and take years to undo the harm.

Senator Gary Carter

A state senator who criticized Senator Morris for not consulting with New Orleans judges and officials before introducing the bills.

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What they’re saying

“The East Baton Rouge Parish and Jefferson Parish are both larger than Orleans, yet Orleans has twice the number of judges. I don't know what's hard to understand about that.”

— Senator Jay Morris, State Senator

“We're double Jefferson, we're double St. Tammany, we're over a hundred jury trials, East Baton Rouge Parish only had 22 trials last year. East Baton Rouge Parish only had 22 trials last year,we tried 26 murders. That's a whole lot different.”

— Honorable Juana Lombard, Chief Judge, Orleans Parish Criminal District Court

“That would raise us from 12,000 to 20,000 pages a month that we would be required to read and review before we commence researching and writing an opinion.”

— Daniel Dysart, Judge, Third District of the Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal

“Louisiana has just gone too long without consolidating these offices. These offices need to be combined so that the state doesn't have to bear the burden for the criminal district court clerk.”

— Senator Jay Morris, State Senator

“Takes many years to correct the harm that laws once take effect, it destroys people's lives, it does all kinds of harm, and it takes many years to undo.”

— Calvin Duncan, Orleans Clerk of Court-elect

What’s next

The bills will now move to the full Louisiana Senate for consideration and a vote.

The takeaway

The proposed judicial reforms in New Orleans highlight the ongoing debate over the appropriate size and structure of the court system, balancing efficiency and cost-savings with concerns over access to justice and the administration of the law.