The Louisiana Constitution of 1921 did not change the existing structures and circuits of the Courts of Appeal. Section 21 began with "The Courts of Appeal, as now organized and established, are hereby recognized and confirmed.." The constitution even didn't list the parishes in the Court of Appeal for the Parish of Orleans. For the first time, the Constitution designated Baton Rouge as the domicile of the first circuit, and Shreveport as the domicile of the second circuit. Prior to this, the courts were required to hold sessions throughout the circuits.These two circuits were also authorized to appoint their own clerks of court, instead of relying upon the clerks of the district courts where they held sessions.
Article VII
Section 19. The Courts of Appeal shall consist of three judges each, two of whom shall constitute a quorum. They shall be citizens of the United States and qualified electors of this State,learned in the law, and shall have practiced law in this State for six years, and each shall have been an actual resident of the district from which he is elected, or appointed, for at least two years immediately preceding his election or appointment. Beginning with the adoption of this Constitution, each shall receive a salary of six thousand dollars per annum, payable monthly on his own warrant, and the Legislature shall make appropriation to pay the same. They shall be elected for terms of years. The terms of the present judges are hereby extended until December 31st of the years in which they would otherwise expire, and their successors shall each be elected at the congressional election preceding the expiration of their present terms respectively as herein extended.
Section 20. Exclusive of the parishes from which appeals are returnable to the Court of Appeal for the parish of Orleans, the State shall be divided into two circuits, to be subdivided into districts as hereinafter provided.
