Justices of the peace and constables get salaries instead of fees, must attend training every other year, and may lose compensation until they do. Some local bodies must also reimburse certain courts and offices for handling litter, property standards, and nuisance violations.
§2589. Compensation of justices of the peace and constables in criminal matters A.(1) Justices of the peace and constables shall receive no fees in criminal matters or in peace bond cases, but in lieu thereof they shall receive such salaries as are fixed by the parish governing authority and paid by the parish, which salaries shall be graded, but which in no case shall be less than seventy-five dollars per month. This salary of not less than seventy-five dollars per month shall include and shall not be in addition to the amount of the salary provided for in R.S. 13:5802. (2) Every justice of the peace and constable shall attend at least one of the Justice of the Peace Training Courses offered by the attorney general pursuant to R.S. 49:251.1 every other year, and a justice of the peace or constable who fails to do so shall not earn or receive the compensation provided in this Section, until he attends a course and receives a certificate of completion from the attorney general. B. Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S. 30:2531 through 2531.5 and 2532, governing the distribution of fines for littering, and notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection A of this Section, the local governing bodies receiving the fines imposed by R.S. 30:2531 through 2531.5 and by any parish ordinance shall reimburse those justice of the peace courts and ward constable offices who handle litter violations for the time spent and expenses incurred by the respective justice of the peace, and constable, deputy constable, or special deputy constable for handling those litter violations. C. In Caddo Parish, in addition to the reimbursements provided for in Subsection B of this Section, the justice of the peace courts and ward constable offices shall also be reimbursed for handling property standards violations. D. In St. Tammany Parish, in addition to the reimbursement provided in Subsection B of this Section, the justice of the peace courts and ward constable offices shall also be reimbursed for handling property standards and nuisance violations as defined per local ordinance. Added by Acts 1975, No. 87, §1. Acts 1986, No. 401, §1; Acts 1989, No. 296, §1; Acts 1998, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 148, §§2, 10; Acts 2001, No. 689, §1; Acts 2008, No. 656, §1; Acts 2019, No. 28, §1, eff. May 30, 2019. NOTE: The Title and Section 10 of Acts 1998, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 148 purport to repeal R.S. 13:2589(B). However, Acts 1998, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 148, §2 includes R.S. 13:2589(B) with amendments, though introductory language of §2 does not mention this Section.