‘Big business’: little-known court system in Louisiana churns out thousands of evictions - and millions in fees for judges

Key Points:

• Louisiana’s justice of the peace courts, which handle thousands of eviction cases annually, operate with minimal oversight and judges paid directly from court fees, creating potential conflicts of interest favoring landlords.
• Tenants often face rapid eviction hearings with little chance to present evidence or receive legal representation, while some justices earn extraordinarily high incomes from eviction-related fees, surpassing even US Supreme Court justices.
• Investigations reveal courts functioning as “eviction mills,” with a small number of landlords responsible for the majority of cases, and tenants frequently burdened with court costs, exacerbating housing insecurity.
• Several justices have faced allegations of misconduct, including charging unlawful fees and ruling outside their jurisdiction, yet reforms expanding their authority have been quietly enacted, raising concerns about tenant protections.
• The system’s flaws have severe human impacts, exemplified by cases like Marchana Watts, who was swiftly evicted despite evidence of rent payment and faced homelessness and health issues, highlighting broader issues of justice and equity in Louisiana’s eviction process.