Throughout Louisiana, the same district courts handle both civil and criminal matters. In Orleans Parish, however, there is a separate Civil District Court and a Criminal District Court.
The state legislature frequently passed legislation concerning the criminal courts. At times, the legislature re-organized the whole court system in Orleans Parish. This guide includes acts concerning the Orleans criminal court, and those acts passed by the legislature which create new felonies, up to and including the 1952 legislative session. *
Although this guide does not attempt to give reasons for the creation of new felonies, it may be inferred that many acts had an economic basis. As Louisiana developed, so did new crimes concerning cotton, commercial logging, railroads, and banking.
* (After that time, one should consult the Louisiana Revised Statutes Annotated, the "green books.")
Indexing and finding aids for court records housed at the public library may be found here.
