The Jefferson Parish Court Fee Lawsuit
In 2015, the Louisiana Legislature authorized the 24th Judicial District Court to charge a one-time fee in domestic cases to help fund the court's Domestic Early Intervention Triage Program. The judges set the fee at $15.
A proposed class action, Mills, et al. v. Gegenheimer, alleges the fee was collected far more than one time. According to the petition, litigants were charged $15 again and again in the same case — on the original petition, then on rules, motions and other filings. The suit is brought against the Clerk of Court in his official capacity.
One of the named plaintiffs paid the fee thirteen times in a single case.
Key Allegations
- Repeat collection of a one-time feeThe petition alleges the $15 triage fee was charged on filing after filing within the same case, rather than once per case as the statute provides.
- Charges that are easy to missThe fee sits on the cost statement and reads like every other routine line item.
- A charge that falls on domestic litigantsIt applies to divorce, custody, child support and community property matters — cases where filings tend to multiply.
- Small amounts, large scaleFifteen dollars is not worth one person's lawsuit. Across thousands of cases over years, the total is what makes a class proceeding the right vehicle.
How the Charge Repeats in One Case
| Item on the cost statement | Amount |
|---|---|
| Filing fee — original petition | — |
| Domestic Early Intervention Triage fee | $15.00 |
| Affidavit | — |
| Domestic Early Intervention Triage fee | $15.00 |
| Rule to show cause | — |
| Domestic Early Intervention Triage fee | $15.00 |
| Motion | — |
| Domestic Early Intervention Triage fee | $15.00 |
| Further filings in the same case | — |
| Domestic Early Intervention Triage fee | and so on |
| Times the statute permits the fee to be charged | One |
Fifteen dollars is easy to miss and looks like every other routine line item.
Who This Applies To
You may be affected if you paid this fee in a case where it had already been collected. Check each of the following.
-
You had a domestic case in Jefferson Parish
Divorce, child custody, child support, community property or a related matter in the 24th Judicial District Court.
-
You paid court costs
If you filed anything, you did. The fee appears on the cost statement — you do not need to remember paying it.
-
There was more than one filing in your case
Rules, motions, exceptions or continuances. The petition alleges the fee was charged again on each one.
Your case number and old documents help, but they are not required. If you do not have them, this office can look up the record.
What the Lawsuit Asks the Court to Do
Declare that the law permits only one fee per case
A ruling on what the 2015 statute actually authorised.
Refund every fee collected beyond the first
With interest.
Stop the practice going forward
So it does not continue for people filing today.
What Happens After You Submit
1. Free review
This office checks the court record for your case to see how many times the fee was charged.
2. We contact you
By phone or email with what the record shows, whether or not it helps your position.
3. You decide
Nothing is filed on your behalf and no relationship is formed unless you sign a written agreement.
4. The case proceeds
If a class is certified, class members are notified through the process the court orders.
Submitting your information does not make you a party to the lawsuit and does not create an attorney-client relationship. It allows this office to check whether you were charged more than once, and to contact you about it.
Who Is Handling This Case
The petition is brought by Daly & Black, P.C.
Petition
The full class action petition, as filed in the 24th Judicial District Court for the Parish of Jefferson, is available here.
Monica Mills and Crystal Crouse v. Jon A. Gegenheimer, in his official capacity as Clerk of Court for the Parish of Jefferson · 24th Judicial District Court, Parish of Jefferson · filed September 8, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Domestic Early Intervention Triage fee?
A $15 charge the 24th JDC was authorised in 2015 to collect in domestic cases to help fund its Domestic Early Intervention Triage Program. The statute describes it as a one-time fee.
I do not remember paying it
Most people do not. It appears on court cost statements as a routine line item, mixed in with filing fees and service costs. Submit your information and this office can look up the record.
My case is closed. Does that matter?
Tell us either way — there is a field for it on the form. Whether your case is open or closed is useful information for the review.
How much money is involved?
For any one person the amounts are small — $15 at a time. That is why a class action exists: it allows a large number of small, identical charges to be addressed in a single proceeding rather than one at a time.
What does it cost to have my case reviewed?
Nothing. The review is free and carries no obligation. There is no fee unless a recovery is made on your behalf. Contingency fee arrangements are subject to the terms of a written fee agreement.
Has the case been decided?
No. No class has been certified and the court has not ruled on any of the claims. Everything described on this page is an allegation from the petition and has not been proven.
Was my case in juvenile court?
If you are not sure, select “Not sure” on the form. It is a useful detail but not something you need to resolve before submitting.