The city courts are courts of record. This means that their decisions are reviewed on appeal on the record, as opposed to being tried anew in a higher court. In criminal matters, they generally have jurisdiction over ordinance violations and misdemeanor violations of state law. City judges also handle a large number of traffic cases. Louisiana's 3 parish courts are distinguishable from city courts only in that they are always staffed by full-time judges and their jurisdiction is a bit broader.
Cases are appealable from the parish courts directly to the courts of appeal.
A total of 363 judges preside over these Louisiana courts. Under the Constitution of 1974, the Louisiana Supreme Court is composed of seven justices elected from six districts throughout Louisiana. An eighth appointed judge has served on the court since January 1, 1993. The justices of the Louisiana Supreme Court serve 10 year terms of office. The senior justice in point of service is the Chief Justice, who is the chief administrative officer of the judicial system.