The 22nd Judicial District Court
The 22nd JDC is a general-jurisdiction trial court. It hears felony prosecutions, civil litigation, divorce and custody, juvenile matters, successions, and protective orders. In Louisiana, this single court covers ground that other states split among separate county, probate, or family courts.
The court's main St. Tammany location is the Justice Center in Covington. The court site is the source for judges, divisions, the calendar, and local rules, while the Clerk site is the source for filed records and copies.
The court's homepage links to the calendar, judges, divisions, courthouses, and rules.
The 22nd Judicial District Court homepage is the official source for the St. Tammany Parish bench.
From there you can reach the calendar to confirm a date and the rules that govern filings and hearings.
St. Tammany and Washington Parishes
The 22nd JDC is a two-parish district. The same judges, rules, and specialty courts can apply across St. Tammany and Washington Parishes, even when a case is filed in only one. That structure is the most common source of confusion for people checking a court date.
Always confirm the parish and the courthouse before appearing. A setting on the calendar may point to the Covington location or a Washington Parish location, and a wrong guess can mean a missed call of the docket.
St. Tammany Parish District Court Judges and Divisions
The 22nd JDC assigns cases to lettered divisions, each led by a district judge, instead of separate numbered courts. Divisions A through J hear general civil and criminal matters, with cases randomly assigned. Divisions K and L are the family court divisions. Commissioners and a hearing officer handle protective orders, emergency custody, and support enforcement.
| Division / Officer | Judge or Role | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Division A | Judge Black | General civil and criminal |
| Division B | Judge Zeller | General civil and criminal |
| Division C | Judge Swartz | General civil and criminal |
| Division D | Judge Keller | General civil and criminal |
| Division E | Judge Burris | General civil and criminal |
| Division F | Judge Lobello | General civil and criminal |
| Division G | Judge Gardner | General civil and criminal |
| Division H | Judge Zaunbrecher | General civil and criminal |
| Division I | Judge Badeaux | General civil and criminal |
| Division J | Judge Creel | General civil and criminal |
| Division K | Judge Oppenheim | Family court |
| Division L | Judge Amacker | Family court |
| Commissioner | James Burke | Commissioner duties |
| Commissioner | Ernest Anderson | Protective orders, emergency custody |
| Hearing Officer | Amanda Trosclair | Support enforcement |
St. Tammany Parish District Court Jurisdiction
The district court has broad jurisdiction. On the criminal side, it handles felonies and many state-law misdemeanors. On the civil side, it handles contract disputes, injury suits, property matters, and money judgments. Family divisions handle divorce, custody, and support, and the court also handles successions and interdictions.
Local matters with limited jurisdiction can begin in a city court, a municipal or mayor's court, or a justice of the peace court. Traffic tickets and ordinance violations often start there, while felonies and many state-law crimes proceed in district court.
City Court of East St. Tammany and municipal courts in places like Slidell, Mandeville, and Covington handle their own local dockets. Where a case begins depends on the charge and the agency that issued it, which is why a single person's matters can sometimes appear in more than one court.
How a Case Moves Through the System
Cases generally move from a lower or trial court upward through the appellate system. The path depends on the charge or claim and on whether a party appeals.
Case flow: City or Justice of the Peace Court › 22nd Judicial District Court › Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeal › Louisiana Supreme Court
Most parish cases start and finish in the district court. A party who disagrees with the outcome can seek review at the First Circuit, and the Louisiana Supreme Court provides further review where it is allowed.
District Court vs Lower Courts
The district court and the local courts handle different work. Knowing the split helps you find the right court for a case or a record.
| Point | 22nd District Court | City / Municipal Court | Justice of the Peace |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | General, parish-wide | Local, limited | Ward-level, limited |
| Typical cases | Felony, civil, family, succession | Traffic, ordinance, misdemeanor | Small claims, evictions |
| Records held by | Clerk of Court | The local court | The local court |
Court Calendar and Local Rules
The court publishes a public calendar and a set of local rules. The calendar helps you confirm a hearing date, division, and courtroom. The local rules govern how filings and hearings are handled in the district.
The St. Tammany Parish court dockets page shows how to read the calendar, and the court records page covers the Clerk's case search.
Specialty Courts in the 22nd JDC
The district runs several specialty courts. These problem-solving dockets mix supervision with treatment. They include Adult Drug Court, a co-occurring track for severe mental illness, Sobriety or DWI Court, Veterans Court, Family Preservation Court, and a five-year ReEntry Court.
The court's specialty-court page describes each program and who qualifies.
The 22nd JDC specialty court page covers the parish problem-solving dockets.
These are court programs, not public search tools, and entry runs through court, prosecution, and treatment criteria.
Visiting the Covington Justice Center
The St. Tammany Parish Justice Center sits in downtown Covington at 701 North Columbia Street. The district courtrooms, court administration, and the Clerk's main counters share this complex, so navigate to the Justice Center rather than to a single department. From Interstate 12, most drivers reach Covington through the U.S. 190 and Causeway corridor or by Louisiana Highway 21.
Plan for security screening on docket days. Expect airport-style entry, no weapons or contraband, and limits on recording court proceedings. If you need a wheelchair-accessible entrance, an interpreter, or hearing assistance, call the court ahead so the courtroom is ready. Downtown Covington has public parking near the Justice Center, but confirm any posted time limits before a full docket day.
Appeals to the First Circuit
Appeals from the 22nd JDC go to the Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeal. The First Circuit reviews legal questions from the trial court rather than retrying the facts. Further review can come from the Louisiana Supreme Court where the law allows it.
Federal cases from the parish are separate. They run through the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana and are searched through PACER, not the parish system.
St. Tammany Parish District Court Contact
The court's St. Tammany location shares the Covington Justice Center. Arrive early for security screening on docket days, and confirm the courtroom against the calendar first.
22nd Judicial District Court
701 North Columbia Street
Covington, LA 70433
985-809-8700
St. Tammany and Washington Parishes