Language Access Coordinator: Doug Holloway, Clerk/Court Administrator; (985) 868-4232, ext. 201; email: dholloway@tpcg.org; office location is near the Juvenile Department.
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.
Disclaimer
The information found on this website is made available as an informational public service by the City Court of Houma. Any references to organizations, commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, do not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement or recommendation by the City Court of Houma.
Regarding documents available on this website, the City Court of Houma makes no warranty of, nor assumes any legal liability or responsibility for, the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information contained herein.
