§2583. Constables; election; term of office; qualifications

A.(1) There shall be one constable for the court of each justice of the peace in the several parishes of the state, who shall be of good moral character, be able to read and write the English language, possess a high school diploma or its equivalent as determined by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, and be an elector and resident of the ward or district from which elected. However, the requirement of a high school diploma or its equivalent does not apply to any constable who was in office as a constable or elected to the office of constable on or before November 19, 1995, in terms of his qualification to remain in office or to seek reelection to a consecutive term. He shall possess such other qualifications as are provided by law.

(2)(a) Beginning in the year 2008, to qualify to run for the office of constable, a person shall not have attained the age of seventy years by the date of qualification to run for office. A constable who attains seventy years of age while serving a term of office shall be allowed to complete that term of office.

(b) The provisions of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph shall not apply to those constables who are serving as a constable or elected to the office of constable on or before August 15, 2006.

B. A constable shall be elected at the congressional election for terms of six years by the qualified electors within the territorial limits of the justice of the peace ward of the court for which he is elected. He shall take office on the first day of January following the election.

C. The term of the constables in office on September 7, 1984 shall expire on December 31, 1990. Their successors shall be elected pursuant to Subsection B of this Section.

D. Repealed by Acts 2006, No. 651, §2.

E. Notwithstanding Subsections B and C of this Section, the governing authority of St. Charles Parish shall call an election for constables on one of the dates specified in R.S. 18:402(F) that falls more than forty-five days after the date of the meeting at which the governing authority calls the election. The election shall be conducted according to the districts provided in R.S. 13:2614 and those elected shall serve for terms that expire on December 31, 2002. Their successors in office shall be elected pursuant to Subsection B of this Section.

F. Repealed by Acts 2014, No. 202, §2, eff. May 22, 2014.

Acts 1984, No. 219, §1; Acts 1985, No. 148, §1; Acts 1995, No. 1237, §1; Acts 1996, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 83, §1, eff. May 10, 1996; Acts 1997, No. 631, §1; Acts 1997, No. 1322, §1, eff. July 15, 1997; Acts 1999, No. 1345, §3; Acts 2006, No. 651, §§1, 2; Acts 2014, No. 154, §1; Acts 2014, No. 202, §2, eff. May 22, 2014; Acts 2014, No. 495, §1; Acts 2015, No. 71, §1.

NOTE: See Acts 1985, No. 148, §2.