§201.1. Judicial advertisements and legal notices; alternative method of publication

A. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, when advertisements are required to be made in relation to judicial proceedings, in the sale of property under judicial process, or in any other legal proceedings of whatever kind in a parish which contains a municipality with a population of three hundred thousand or more as determined by the latest federal decennial census, such advertisements and legal notices shall be published in a newspaper or other publication which (i) is domiciled in such parish, (ii) is published in the English language at least weekly, (iii) meets the requirements of R.S. 43:200(3)(a), (b), and (c), and (iv) has maintained a total circulation of at least thirty thousand for at least five consecutive years prior to it being selected. The newspaper or other publication shall be selected in June of each year, for a term of one year, by the sheriff, constable, clerk, or other officer, as the case may be, who is charged with the conduct of such sales requiring the advertisement.

B. The total circulation of a newspaper or other publication selected to publish judicial advertisements under this Section shall be proved not less than annually by an experienced publication auditing firm prior to the selection of the newspaper or other publication. The audit shall reflect the total circulation of the newspaper or other publication, and a copy of the most recent audit shall be submitted as an attachment to any proposal by a qualifying newspaper or other publication to publish judicial advertisements and legal notices.

C. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, when additional judicial advertisements are required to be inserted in an auxiliary journal in a parish with a population of three hundred thousand or more as determined by the latest federal decennial census, such auxiliary journal must have been published for at least seventy-five years prior to the insertion of the advertisement or publication, have been previously selected for no less than five years as an auxiliary journal for such parish, and not be eligible to be selected, pursuant to Subsection A of this Section, by the sheriff, constable, clerk, or other officer, as the case may be, of such parish to publish advertisements in relation to judicial proceedings, in the sale of property under judicial process, or in any other legal proceedings of whatever kind.

D. The provisions of this Section shall supersede and control to the extent of conflict with any other provisions of law.

Acts 2012, No. 825, §2, eff. June 14, 2012.