Fax Filing Guidelines

The clerk of court accepts fax filing of any civil pleading pursuant to La. R.S. 13:850 and any criminal proceeding pursuant to La. Code of Criminal Procedure Article 14.1. Please refer to these statutes (provided below) before faxing your documents for filing. Note that a Receipt of Transmission must be returned by the clerk to the sender in order to complete the filing, and that the original pleading and appropriate fees must be received by the clerk within 7 days (exclusive of legal holidays) of the transmission. Also—the faxed document must be inclusive of any attachments or exhibits one wishes to receive the faxed filed date. There is a $5 fee for fax-filing service in addition to the clerk's ordinary filing fees.

***The clerk of court’s fax file number for civil and criminal documents is (504) 934-6629. Pleadings and other documents intended for filing, or which must be entered into the record (ex. a request for or notice of continuance of a matter, notice of settlement of a case, etc.), must be faxed to the clerk of court, not to the judges or their staff.***

La. R.S. 13:850 - Facsimile Transmission; Filings in Civil Actions; Fees; Equipment and Supplies

A. Any document in a civil action may be filed with the clerk of court by facsimile transmission. All clerks of court shall make available for their use equipment to accommodate facsimile filing in civil actions. Filing shall be deemed complete at the time the facsimile transmission is received by the clerk of court. No later than on the first business day after receiving a facsimile filing, the clerk of court shall transmit to the filing party via facsimile a confirmation of receipt and include a statement of the fees for the facsimile filing and filing of the original document. The facsimile filing fee and transmission fee are incurred upon receipt of the facsimile filing by the clerk of court and payable as provided in Subsection B of this Section. The facsimile filing shall have the same force and effect as filing the original document, if the filing party complies with Subsection B of this Section.

B. Within seven days, exclusive of legal holidays, after the clerk of court receives the facsimile filing, all of the following shall be delivered to the clerk of court:

(1) The original document identical to the facsimile filing in number of pages and in content of each page including any attachments, exhibits, and orders. A document not identical to the facsimile filing or which includes pages not included in the facsimile filing shall not be considered the original document.

(2) The fees for the facsimile filing and filing of the original document stated on the confirmation of receipt, if any.

(3) A transmission fee of five dollars.

C. If the filing party fails to comply with any of the requirements of Subsection B of this Section, the facsimile filing shall have no force or effect. The various district courts may provide by court rule for other matters related to filings by facsimile transmission.

D. The clerk may purchase equipment and supplies necessary to accommodate facsimile filings out of the clerk's salary fund.

Acts 1991, No. 463, §1; Acts 1995, No. 1119, §1; Acts 2012, No. 826, §1; Acts 2016, No. 109, §1.

La. Code of Criminal Procedure Art. 14.1 - Filing of Pleadings and Documents by Facsimile Transmission

A. Any document in a traffic or criminal action may be filed with the clerk of court by facsimile transmission if permitted by the policy of the clerk of court. Filing shall be deemed complete at the time the facsimile transmission is received by the clerk of court. No later than on the first business day after receiving a facsimile filing, the clerk of court shall transmit to the filing party via facsimile a confirmation of receipt and include a statement of the fees for the facsimile filing and filing of the original document. The facsimile filing fee and transmission fee are incurred upon receipt of the facsimile filing by the clerk of court and payable as provided in Subsection B of this Section. The facsimile filing shall have the same force and effect as filing the original document, if the party complies with Paragraph B of this Article.

B. Within seven days, exclusive of legal holidays, after the clerk of court receives the facsimile filing, all of the following shall be delivered to the clerk of court:

(1) The original document identical to the facsimile filing in number of pages and in content of each page including any attachments, exhibits, and orders. A document not identical to the facsimile filing or which includes pages not included in the facsimile filing shall not be considered the original document.

(2) The fees for the facsimile filing and filing of the original document stated on the confirmation of receipt, if any.

(3) A transmission fee of five dollars, if the defendant had not been declared indigent by the court.

C. If the filing party fails to comply with any of the requirements of Paragraph B of this Article, the facsimile filing shall have no force or effect.

D. Any court district may provide by court rule for any additional requirement or provisions for filings by facsimile transmission.

E. In keeping with the clerk's policy, each clerk of court shall make available the necessary equipment and supplies to accommodate facsimile filing in criminal actions. Purchases for equipment and supplies necessary to accommodate facsimile filings may be funded from any expense fund of the office of the clerk of court as the clerks deem appropriate.

Acts 2001, No. 319, §3; Acts 2016, No. 109, §2.