The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal began as the Court of Appeals for the Parish of Orleans, created by Art.128 of the Louisiana Constitution of 1879. This constitution also created five Courts of Appeal circuits for the remaining parishes. Each circuit had two judges. Art. 131 of the Louisiana Constitution of 1898 increased to three the number of judges, and added the parishes of Jefferson, St. Charles, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard to the court’s jurisdiction, to begin August 1, 1900. Act. No. 137 of 1906 added St. James and St. John the Baptist to its jurisdiction. The courts of appeal were realigned in 1958 when the Constitution of 1921 was amended, effective July 1, 1960, and the court became the new Court of Appeal, Fourth Circuit, State of Louisiana. Act. No. 696 of 1968 increased to nine the number of judges. Act. No. 661 of 1980 created the Fifth Circuit, and gave it several parishes from the court’s territory. The Fourth Circuit retained the parishes of Orleans, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard, and gained an extra judgeship. Act. No. 3 of 1981 increased to twelve the number of judges.
The old Court of Appeals for the Parish of Orleans was located on the second floor of the Presbytere, on the corner of Chartres and St. Ann Streets. In 1910, the court moved into the new Civil District Court Building at 400 Royal Street. In 1959, the court moved to the Civil Court Building at 421 Loyola Avenue. Some judges were at the 234 Loyola Building. In 1990 the court moved to 1515 Poydras Street, 7th Floor. In 2004, the court returned to its old home at 400 Royal Street.
The Hon. James F. McKay, III, first elected to the court in 1998, is the chief judge.
Website: http://www.la4th.org/
Court of Appeal, Parish of Orleans
Court of Appeal, Fourth Circuit
