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Resources for Self-Represented Litigants: Guides to Louisiana Law

This guide offers helpful information to Louisiana self-represented litigants (people who represent themselves in court without an attorney) including help finding legal information, resources, and referrals.

LEAP LibGuides

LEAP section header

The Legal Education and Assistance Program (LEAP) is a project sponsored by the Louisiana State Bar Association, with the support of the Louisiana Library Association, the Law Library of Louisiana, LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, Acadiana Legal Services, and Legal Services of North Louisiana. LEAP LibGuides are designed to provide basic information about legal issues, and connect you with attorneys and services in your area that may be of assistance.  LEAP partners are currently working to develop additional libguides on frequently requested topics, and you are welcome to send suggestions and feedback to LEAP@lsba.org.

LEAP also provides referral and form information, by parish. Check their website for more information. 

Divorce

Emancipation

Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program 

How to Obtain a Driver's License

Interdiction

Justice of the Peace/Small Claims Courts

Mayor's Courts

Medicaid 

Social Security

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

 

Statewide Online Legal Information

Pro Bono Desk Manual
Written primarily for attorneys but available to anyone, the manual provides detailed descriptions and explanations of numerous areas of law affecting low income people and communities. Newly updated in 2023.

Louisiana Law Help
Written primarily for self-represented litigants, the website provides brief descriptions of numerous areas of law as well as some forms. Some descriptions are in video, some are written. 

Louisiana Law from FindLaw by Thomson Reuters
User-friendly summaries of Louisiana laws, including citations to current statutes.Topics include: accident and injury, business, civil rights, consumer, criminal, education, employment, estate planning, family, gambling and lottery, health care, property and real estate, tax, and statute of limitations (called "prescriptive period" in Louisiana). Also includes information about local municipality law.

Louisiana District Judges Association - Self-Represented Litigant Resources
Links and vdeos for self-represented litigants on relevant topics such as A Guide to Court and Introducing Evidence.

Other Legal Information Resources

Legal Information Reference Center
Provides online full text from EBSCO for many of the top consumer legal reference books and contains more than 310 full-text publications and thousands of legal forms. Many of the full-text legal reference books are provided through Nolo, the nation's oldest and most-respected provider of legal information for consumers and small businesses. Can be accessed anywhere, but a public library card is required to sign in.