Investigation Finds High Profitability Among Louisiana Justices of the Peace

An investigation published by The Guardian found that some Justices of the Peace in Louisiana have become highly profitable. The report examined 390 Justices of the Peace and found five earned over $220,000 from their work between 2023 and 2025. One Justice, Chuck Cusimano II, earned over $400,000, surpassing the yearly salary of Chief Justice John Roberts in six of the last ten years. The investigation noted that evictions are a primary source of this income, as JOPs charge filing fees to plaintiffs.

The findings suggest that the process of handling evictions incentivizes landlords to file more cases with certain Justices of the Peace. State law allows these officials, who are not required to have a law license, to charge filing fees to plaintiffs. This structure prompts calls for legislative review and reform in Louisiana.