Demand Letter in Louisiana

A demand letter asks someone to pay or fix a problem before you go to small claims court. Many judges expect one, and it is useful evidence. Your state's small claims limit and fee are shown below.

What Louisiana law says

Small claims limit	$5,000 in justice of the peace courts and in city-court small claims divisions, not counting interest, court costs, attorney fees or penalties. A claim may not be split to get under the limit. City-court small claims limit: https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=77961 (no more than ten plaintiffs per case; no class actions). In the City Court of East St. Tammany the small claims limit equals the justice of the peace limit (R.S. 13:5202(E)). Source: La. C.C.P. art. 4911; La. R.S. 13:5202(A)
Filing fee	Justice of the peace court: generally about $130 in court costs to file a new case, plus $20 for each additional defendant; other costs may apply (full list in R.S. 13:2590). City-court small claims division: $35 per defendant by statute, up to $20 per additional service or subpoena. Costs may be waived for a party who cannot pay under C.C.P. arts. 5181-5188. JP cost figure from the AG guide: https://ag.louisiana.gov/Files/Shared/Documents/AGuideToLaJpcCourt.pdf. Confirm current charges with the court clerk. Source: AG Guide to Louisiana Justice of the Peace Courts; La. R.S. 13:5205

Small claims limit

$5,000 in justice of the peace courts and in city-court small claims divisions, not counting interest, court costs, attorney fees or penalties. A claim may not be split to get under the limit.

City-court small claims limit: https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=77961 (no more than ten plaintiffs per case; no class actions). In the City Court of East St. Tammany the small claims limit equals the justice of the peace limit (R.S. 13:5202(E)).

Source: La. C.C.P. art. 4911; La. R.S. 13:5202(A)

Filing fee

Justice of the peace court: generally about $130 in court costs to file a new case, plus $20 for each additional defendant; other costs may apply (full list in R.S. 13:2590). City-court small claims division: $35 per defendant by statute, up to $20 per additional service or subpoena. Costs may be waived for a party who cannot pay under C.C.P. arts. 5181-5188.

JP cost figure from the AG guide: https://ag.louisiana.gov/Files/Shared/Documents/AGuideToLaJpcCourt.pdf. Confirm current charges with the court clerk.

Source: AG Guide to Louisiana Justice of the Peace Courts; La. R.S. 13:5205

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[today's date]

To: [person or business name], [their address]

From: [your name], [your address]

This letter is a formal demand for $[amount demanded] for [what happened, with dates].

[Short list of facts and attached documents: contract, receipts, photos, messages.]

Please pay this amount by [payment deadline] by [payment method].

If I do not receive payment by then, I intend to file a claim in [court name] without further notice.

[your name] [phone or email]

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General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.