Notice:

As a result of Act No. 98 of the 2022 Regular Legislative Session, Civil jurisdiction for City Court of Houma will increase from $20,000.00 to $30,000.00 beginning August 1, 2022.

COVID Protocol:

In order to minimize the risk of exposure and infection of the COVID-19 virus, and protect the health and safety of court personnel, litigants and the public at large, the following protocols are being enforced at the courthouse:

1. Masks will be available upon entry into the Courthouse for those desiring to wear one. 

2.  In addtion, individuals currently under quarantine due to exposure to COVID-19 or who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the last two weeks should not come to court, but should call the numbers below to discuss what accomodations can be made.

3. If your temperature meets or exceeds 100 degrees Fahrenheit, or you exhibit signs and/or symptoms associated with COVID-19, you will be denied access to the courthouse.

If you are denied access to the courthouse, immediately contact the appropriate department listed below and receive further instructions.
                   Juvenile Department:  (985) 873-6338
                   Criminal/Traffic Department:  (985) 868-4361
                   Civil Department:  (985) 873-6337

NOTICE: 

Landlords and tenants may be eligible for financial assistance.  www.lastaterent.com 

Latest Information Regarding Evictions:

On August 3, 2021, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued an Agency Order entitled "Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions in Communities wit Substantil or High Levels of Community Transmission of COVID-10  to Prevent the Further Spread of COVID-19." The Order prohibits all landlords from evicting  certain qualified renters from residential property from August 3, 2021 to October 3, 2021. This Order is only a temporary moratorium and renters are still required to pay rent and follow other terms of their lease. Qualified renters may still be evicted for reasons other than not paying rent. Individuals who violate this Order may be subject to criminal charges.

In order to qualify for eviction protection, each adult member of a household must provide an executed copy of the Declaration form to their landlord.

Please click below to view and print out the Memo of Instruction and to view and print out a copy of the Declaration form:

Memo of Instruction to Landlords/Tenants

Tenant's Declaration to Temporarily Halt Eviction

City Court of Houma is open for regular business. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.  All individuals entering the courthouse are required to wear masks and should practice social distancing.

The Civil Department is open for filing evictions, regular civil suits, and small claims. Individuals should call the Civil Department at 873-6337 for further instructions. 

People are still encouraged to go to www.houmatix.com to see if they can pay their traffic ticket online.

Payments can also be made over the phone with a credit/debit card by calling the Misdemeanor/Traffic Department at 868-4361.

Phone payments for juvenile matters can be made to the Juvenile Department at 873-6338.

Individuals on a payment plan who have questions can call the Court Compliance Department at 873-6332/6335.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to facilitate the administration of justice to the public by effectively and efficiently:

• In civil matters, resolving disputes.
• In criminal adult and juvenile matters:
  • Determine guilt or innocence.
  • Impose appropriate consequences.
  • Facilitate change in behavior.

Public Records Request:

The custodian of public records at the City Court of Houma is the Clerk/Court Administrator.  All requests for public records should be addressed to:         

                                                  City Court of Houma

                                                  Attn:  Doug Holloway, Clerk

                                                  8046 Main St.

                                                  Houma, LA  70360

~~~~Sexual Harassment Policy

A.  City Court of Houma is committed to providing a work environment that is free of discrimination and unlawful harassment. Actions, words, jokes, or comments based on an individual’s sex, race, age, religion, or any other legally protected characteristic will not be tolerated. Likewise, magazines, calendars, cartoons, cards of a sexual or racial nature will not be tolerated. As an example, sexual harassment (both overt and subtle) is a form of employee misconduct that is demeaning to another person, undermines the integrity of the employment relationship, and is strictly prohibited. Harassment in any form, including verbal, physical, and visual harassment, is prohibited. Sexual harassment includes, but is not limited to:
• Unwanted sexual advances.
• Offering employment benefits in exchange for sexual favors.
• Making or threatening reprisals after a negative response to sexual advances.
• Leering, making sexual gestures, displaying of sexually suggestive objects or pictures, cartoons, or posters.
• Making or using derogatory comments, epithets, slurs, sexually explicit jokes, comments about an employee’s body or dress.
• Verbal sexual advances or propositions.
• Verbal abuse of a sexual nature, graphic verbal commentary about an individual’s body, sexually degrading words to describe an individual, suggestive or obscene letters, notes, or invitations.
• Physical conduct: touching, assault, impeding or blocking movement.
• Retaliation for having reported or having threatened to report harassment.
• Harassing behavior, whether visual, physical, verbal, or by way of voice mail or electronic mail is strictly prohibited.

B.  Any employee who believes he or she has been harassed should promptly report the facts of the incident or incidents and the names of the individuals(s) involved to his or her supervisor. If the supervisor is unavailable or the employee believes it would be inappropriate to contact that person, the employee should immediately contact the Clerk/Court Administrator or the Judge.  Supervisors will immediately report any incidents of sexual harassment and the Clerk/Court Administrator will investigate all such claims and take appropriate actions. The Court will not retaliate against any employee for filing a complaint and will not knowingly permit retaliation by any supervisor or co-worker.

C. Formal disciplinary action taken shall be consistent with the nature of the deficiency or infraction involved and the record of the employee.

D. Minor offenses are those violations which are unacceptable if repeated, but for which the employee will not be discharged for the first offense.

E. Serious offenses are those willful or deliberated violations of such a nature that the first offense may indicate that continued employment of the employee may not be in keeping with the best interest of the Court.

F. Complaint Procedure:
It is the duty of every employee who experiences or witnesses behavior which he/she believes may constitute harassment to immediately report such conduct by following the complaint procedures outlined herein. Retaliation against any employee who makes a good faith report of conduct which he/she believes may constitute harassment in violation of this policy, or who provides information during an investigation of a complaint, is strictly forbidden and shall be grounds for disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.
A victim of harassment should immediately inform the offending person, without fear of retaliation or reprisal, that the conduct is unwelcome, offensive and must stop. This is not a requirement, but rather a suggested course of action to immediately and effectively cease the harassment. Regardless of whether an employee communicated the problem directly to the offender, he/she must report all incidents of harassment to his/her supervisor (if not the offending party), and to the Clerk/Court Administrator or Judge.

 Formal complaints should be written and contain the following information:
1) Specific description of harassment;
2) Where, when and how often the harassment occurred;
3) The name(s) of the harassing person(s); and
4) The name(s) of witness(es), if any.

The Clerk/Court Administrator or a Human Resources employee from TPCG will promptly and thoroughly investigate all allegations/complaints of harassment.  Confidentiality shall be maintained to the extent possible and practicable throughout the process. Findings shall be submitted to the Judge with recommendations for further investigation, dismissal of the complaint, or disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.
If the harassment complaint is between the Judge and a court employee, the Clerk/Court Administrator will notify the Judiciary Commission at the Louisiana Supreme Court and a third party investigation will be conducted.

G. Complaints of False Charges:
Because of the nature of the problem, complaints of harassment cannot always be substantiated. Lack of corroborating evidence should not discourage victims of harassment from seeking relief through a formal complaint. However, charges found to have been intentionally dishonest or made maliciously without regard for the truth will subject the complainant to disciplinary action.

H. Louisiana ACT 270:
In accordance with ACT 270, the following is effective in regards to Sexual Harassment:
1)  Each City Court employee shall receive a minimum of one hour mandatory education and training on preventing sexual harassment during each full calendar year.
2) Each City Court Supervisor must receive additional education and training beyond the one hour per calendar year.
3)  The education and training required pursuant to this Section may be received either in person or via the internet through training and education materials approved by the Clerk/Court Administrator or Judge.
4)  The Clerk/Court Administrator shall be responsible for maintaining records of the compliance of each Court employee with the mandatory training requirement.
5) Each record of compliance shall be a public record and available to the public in accordance with the Public Records Law.