All pleadings filed shall be randomly assigned to a particular section or division of the court by either of the following methods:
Art. 253.1.Pleadings; Random Assignment of Cases
Title I. Courts · Chapter 5. Clerks · Enacted 1995 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 30, 2026
In one sentenceArticle 253.1 requires every pleading that opens a case to be assigned to a section or division of the court at random, either by drawing a designation from a pool or through a computer program built to randomize the outcome.
Full Text of Art. 253.1
(1) By drawing indiscriminately from a pool containing designations of all sections or divisions of court in the particular jurisdiction in which the case is filed.
(2) By use of a properly programmed electronic device or computer programmed to randomly assign cases to any one of the sections or divisions of court in the particular jurisdiction in which the case is filed.
Amendment History
Acts 1995, No. 829, §1.
Plain-English Summary
Which judge hears a case can matter a great deal to the people in it, so Louisiana takes the choice out of anyone's hands. Article 253.1 requires filed cases to be assigned to a section or division of the court at random, using one of two methods.
A court can draw indiscriminately from a pool holding a designation for each section or division, the way a raffle works. Or it can use a computer or electronic device programmed to make the same kind of random pick automatically. Either way, no one — not the clerk, not a party, not a lawyer — chooses which judge gets the case.
The point is fairness, and the appearance of fairness. Random assignment keeps a plaintiff from steering a case toward a judge thought to be sympathetic, and it spreads the court's caseload evenly across its sections.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are Louisiana civil cases assigned to judges randomly?
Random assignment keeps any party from choosing a judge believed to favor their side and spreads cases evenly across the court's sections or divisions.
How does random assignment work?
A court either draws a section or division designation indiscriminately from a pool, or uses a computer program built to make that same kind of random pick.
Can I request a specific judge or division when I file suit?
No. Article 253.1 requires random assignment, though narrow exceptions elsewhere in this chapter allow a later transfer by agreement or a duty judge's limited involvement.
Source & verification. Article text is reproduced verbatim from
the vLex (Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure, 2026 Edition). Enacted by the Louisiana Legislature.
Last verified July 30, 2026.
· Official source
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