§251.1.  Justice of the peace training course

A.  The attorney general of the state of Louisiana, within six months from the date justices of the peace and constables take office and once a year thereafter, shall conduct courses of training and education for persons elected to full terms to the offices of justice of the peace and constable.  Such courses of training shall be known as the Justice of the Peace Training Course, which may be conducted in various sections of the state at places designated by the attorney general.

B.  Newly elected justices of the peace and constables must attend the first training course available after they take office.  Every justice of the peace and constable shall attend at least one of the training courses every other year, and a justice of the peace or constable who fails to do so shall not earn or receive state supplemental pay for his office until he attends a course and receives a certificate of completion from the attorney general.

C.  Repealed by Acts 1997, No. 598, §1.

D.  The attorney general may use the facilities, when available, of the public buildings of the state, including the capitol building, the universities, colleges, junior colleges, and the courthouses, to hold such courses of training.  The attorney general, in his discretion, may also provide such training course for any new justice or constable who is filling the unexpired term of any justice or constable who has vacated his office.  These courses may be used as emergency measures only, and the applicant must present in writing to the attorney general his reasons for having missed the general course offered within the six months after his taking office.

E.  The attorney general shall prescribe the course of training to be conducted, which shall include as much as practicable of justice of the peace venue, jurisdiction, elements of a cause of action, limitation of actions, conduct of trials, trial demonstrations, the duties, functions, and responsibilities of their respective offices, and such other subject matter as he may prescribe.

F.  The attorney general may select as instructors in these courses of training any lawyer, judge, law professor, or senior law student of this state, and may seek the aid and advice of the bar associations and judges associations for this purpose.

G.  At the conclusion of the Justice of the Peace Training Course, the attorney general shall present to each justice of the peace and constable who has attended the full course a certificate of completion prepared by him and bearing his signature.

Added by Acts 1970, No. 215, §1; Acts 1995, No. 941, §1; Acts 1995, No. 1237, §2; Acts 1997, No. 598, §1.