Louisiana Federal Court Structure at a Glance
Court Locations in Louisiana — 28 U.S.C. § 98
The district structure of Louisiana is set by statute, quoted below from 28 U.S.C. § 98:
“Louisiana is divided into three judicial districts to be known as the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Louisiana.”
Court locations under the statute:
Court for the Eastern District shall be held at New Orleans, and Houma.
Court for the Middle District shall be held at Baton Rouge.
Court for the Western District shall be held at Alexandria, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe, Opelousas, and Shreveport.
Federal White-Collar Cases in Louisiana
Federal fraud offenses committed in Louisiana are prosecuted in the district where the offense occurred. Jurisdiction is statutory: “The district courts of the United States shall have original jurisdiction, exclusive of the courts of the States, of all offenses against the laws of the United States.” (18 U.S.C. § 3231).
Circuit assignment is statutory as well. 28 U.S.C. § 41 provides:
“Fifth District of the Canal Zone, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas.”
The Fifth Circuit hears appeals from the district courts in Louisiana. The district courts listed above maintain public websites with local rules, judge information, and case-location details; the federal court finder at uscourts.gov also covers Louisiana.
The principal federal fraud statutes — mail fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1341), wire fraud (§ 1343), and bank fraud (§ 1344) — apply in every federal district. Bank fraud carries a statutory maximum of 30 years: “shall be fined not more than $1,000,000 or imprisoned not more than 30 years, or both.” (18 U.S.C. § 1344).
This page is part of the White-Collar Case Law Research Desk reference library. Additional research notes are published as new court decisions are issued.
Primary sources
- 28 U.S.C. § 98 — Louisiana (law.cornell.edu). Verbatim: “Louisiana is divided into three judicial districts to be known as the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Louisiana.”
- 28 U.S.C. § 41 — Number and composition of circuits (law.cornell.edu). Verbatim: “Fifth District of the Canal Zone, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas.”
- 18 U.S.C. § 3231 — District courts (law.cornell.edu). Verbatim: “The district courts of the United States shall have original jurisdiction, exclusive of the courts of the States, of all offenses against the laws of the United States.”
- 18 U.S.C. § 1344 — Bank fraud (law.cornell.edu). Verbatim: “shall be fined not more than $1,000,000 or imprisoned not more than 30 years, or both.”
White-Collar Federal Defense Reference by State
About the Research Desk
Whitecollardefensefirm is maintained as an editorial research archive for this topic. It summarizes public materials, case law, and statute-level references without offering intake or representation.
Editorial Policy
Every page is written in a neutral research voice. We do not publish attorney persona copy, client-matching language, fake reviews, or consultation CTAs.
Citations Notice
Case references, statute numbers, and procedural rules are cited where relevant. Readers should verify authorities before relying on any summary.
Related: About the Publisher | Andrew For Oklahoma — Federal Defense Resource — About the Publisher | Andrew For Oklahoma — Federal Defense Resource Andrew For Oklahoma Home Practice Areas FAQ About R