2006 Louisiana Laws - RS 9:203 — Officiant; judges and justices of the peace

§203.  Officiant; judges and justices of the peace

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 which has no justice of the peace court.

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 judge of a court of the United States whose official duty station includes a municipality having a population in excess of forty thousand but less than fifty thousand persons according to the latest decennial census or a municipality having a population in excess of two hundred and fifteen thousand but less than two hundred and thirty-five thousand persons according to the latest decennial census may perform marriage ceremonies in the municipality located within his official duty station.  For purposes of this Subsection, "judge" and "official duty station" have the same meaning as provided in 28 U.S.C. 451 and 456, respectively.  The authority granted by this Paragraph shall terminate on December 31, 2003.

(2)  A judge of a court of the United States whose official duty station includes a municipality having a population in excess of four hundred and seventy thousand according to the latest decennial census may perform marriage ceremonies within his official duty station.  The authority granted by this Paragraph shall only be effective from October 1, 2004, through October 31, 2004.

(3)  A judge of a court of the United States whose official duty station includes the state capital may perform marriage ceremonies within his official duty station.  The authority granted by this Paragraph shall only be effective from December 1, 2004, through December 31, 2004.

(4)  A judge of a court of the United States whose official duty station includes a municipality having a population in excess of one hundred and five thousand but less than one hundred and fifteen thousand persons according to the latest decennial census may perform marriage ceremonies within his official duty station.  The authority granted by this Paragraph shall only be effective from May 16, 2005 through June 4, 2005.

Acts 1987, No. 886, §3, eff. Jan. 1, 1988; Acts 1991, No. 710, §1; Acts 1993, No. 105, §1; Acts 1995, No. 212, §1; Acts 1997, No. 73, §2; Acts 2001, No. 341, §1, eff. June 12, 2001; Acts 2001, No. 1103, §1; Acts 2002, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 60, §1; Acts 2003, No. 255, §1, eff. June 6, 2003; Acts 2004, No. 454, §1, eff. June 24, 2004; Acts 2005, No. 4, §1, eff. May 27, 2005.