The First City Court and the Second City Court shall have jurisdiction over appeals by any person aggrieved by a decision of the Traffic Court of New Orleans concerning a traffic violation enforced by the city of New Orleans' automated traffic enforcement system. Appeals from the traffic court shall extend to the law and the facts and shall be tried upon the records made and the evidence offered in court by the judge to whom the appeal shall be allotted. Any aggrieved person shall file such appeal within thirty days of such decision. The First City Court and the Second City Court shall adopt rules regulating the manner of taking, hearing, and deciding such appeals. All traffic violations on appeal shall maintain their status as civil penalties.
Art. 4850.2.First City Court and Second City Court of New Orleans; Appellate Jurisdiction
Book VIII. Trial Courts of Limited Jurisdiction · Title I. General Dispositions · Chapter 2. Civil Jurisdiction · Enacted 2012 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 30, 2026
In one sentenceArticle 4850.2 gives the First City Court and Second City Court of New Orleans appellate jurisdiction over appeals from Traffic Court of New Orleans decisions on automated camera-issued traffic violations, requiring an appeal within thirty days and review based on the record and evidence already before the traffic court.
Full Text of Art. 4850.2
Amendment History
Acts 2012, No. 502, §1.
Plain-English Summary
New Orleans runs an automated traffic enforcement system, cameras that catch red-light and speeding violations, and Article 4857 gives the Traffic Court of New Orleans exclusive appellate jurisdiction over the first round of appeals from those citations, reviewing an administrative hearing officer's decision fresh, without deferring to it. Article 4850.2 covers the next step: what happens when someone wants to appeal further, past the Traffic Court's own decision.
That second-level appeal goes to the First City Court or the Second City Court of New Orleans, whichever the appeal is allotted to. Unlike the Traffic Court's own de novo review of the hearing officer's decision, this appeal is tried on the record already made and the evidence already offered before the Traffic Court, with the reviewing city court judge examining both the facts and the law based on what is already in that record.
An aggrieved person has thirty days from the Traffic Court's decision to file this appeal, and the First and Second City Courts adopt their own rules governing how such appeals are taken, heard, and decided. Throughout the process, the underlying traffic violation keeps its status as a civil penalty rather than becoming a criminal matter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which court hears an appeal from a New Orleans traffic camera ticket decision?
It depends on the stage. The Traffic Court of New Orleans hears the first appeal from an administrative hearing officer's decision under Article 4857. A further appeal from the Traffic Court's own decision goes to the First City Court or Second City Court of New Orleans under Article 4850.2.
How much time do I have to appeal a Traffic Court of New Orleans decision?
Thirty days from the date of the decision, under Article 4850.2.
Is the appeal to the First or Second City Court a fresh hearing?
No. Unlike the Traffic Court's de novo review of a hearing officer's decision, the appeal to the First or Second City Court is tried on the record and evidence already before the Traffic Court.
Does a camera-ticket appeal turn the violation into a criminal case?
No. Article 4850.2 states that all traffic violations on appeal keep their status as civil penalties.
Source & verification. Article text is reproduced verbatim from
the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure (legis.la.gov). Enacted by the Louisiana Legislature.
Last verified July 30, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: First City Court New Orleans traffic appealArticle 4850.2 LouisianaSecond City Court New Orleans traffic camera appealautomated traffic enforcement appeal Louisianaappeal from Traffic Court of New Orleans