Winn Parish is a small, rural central Louisiana parish of approximately 13,700 people anchored by Winnfield — the parish seat with a population of about 4,400 — situated in the longleaf pine hills of central Louisiana between Alexandria to the south and Monroe to the northeast. Winn Parish holds a distinctive place in Louisiana political history: Winnfield is the birthplace of three Louisiana governors, most notably Huey Pierce Long, the legendary and controversial populist who served as Louisiana governor from 1928 to 1932 before becoming a U.S. Senator, and whose brother Earl K. Long also served as governor three times. The Huey P. Long Museum in Winnfield celebrates this political heritage. The 8th Judicial District Court in Winnfield handles all parish evictions, serving only Winn Parish. The parish economy rests on timber and forest products, oil and gas production, corrections employment (Winn Correctional Center), and public sector jobs, with the Kisatchie National Forest surrounding much of the parish.
The rental market in Winn Parish is small, concentrated in Winnfield, with very limited inventory elsewhere. The parish poverty rate of approximately 27% reflects limited private sector employment diversity in a predominantly timber and corrections-anchored economy. Louisiana Civil Code governs all leases with no local rent control or just-cause eviction requirements.
No parish-level rental license required. Louisiana has no statewide landlord licensing statute. Verify with the City of Winnfield for any local code enforcement requirements within city limits. Unincorporated rural properties are not subject to municipal codes.
Rent Control
None. Louisiana has no statewide rent control and Winn Parish has no local rent control ordinance. Lessors may raise rent freely at lease renewal with proper notice.
Security Deposit
Capped at 2 months’ rent (R.S. 9:3251). Must be returned with itemized deductions within 30 days of lease termination or surrender, whichever is later (R.S. 9:3252). Permissible deductions: unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear, unpaid utilities owed by lessee.
Eviction Court — 8th Judicial District
All Winn Parish eviction proceedings are filed in the 8th Judicial District Court, Winn Parish Courthouse, 119 W. Main Street, Winnfield, LA 71483. Phone: (318) 628-3515. Hours: Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. The 8th JDC serves Winn Parish only. Justice of the Peace courts may have jurisdiction for leases not exceeding $1,000/month in unincorporated areas.
Notice to Vacate
Written 5-day notice to vacate required before filing for eviction (CCP Art. 4701–4703). Serve personally, by domiciliary service, or by door-posting plus first class mail. Retain all service documentation.
Month-to-Month Termination
10-day written notice required to terminate a month-to-month lease (CC Art. 2687, 2728). Notice must be given at least 10 days before the end of the monthly rental period.
Tacit Reconduction
Accepting rent after a fixed-term lease expires automatically creates a new month-to-month tenancy (CC Art. 2686). Give written notice before lease expiration if renewal is not intended.
No Statutory Cure Period
Louisiana provides no statutory cure period for lease violations. After the 5-day notice expires, the lessor may file a Rule to Show Cause immediately.
Winn Correctional Center & Corrections Employment
Winn Correctional Center is a significant employer in Winn Parish. Corrections officers and state facility employees are Louisiana state employees with stable, predictable W-2 income and represent one of the most reliable locally-employed tenant segments in the Winnfield market. Verify with pay stubs and employer confirmation. Note that Winn Correctional Center has at various points been operated under contract management — verify the current operator and employment classification of applicants from the facility.
Timber & Forest Products
Timber and forest products in the Kisatchie National Forest corridor are the primary private sector industry. W-2 mill employees verify with pay stubs. Contract loggers require prior-year Schedule C or 12-month bank statements for reliable annual income assessment.
Oil & Gas Production
Winn Parish has active oil and gas production. Permanent operations employees verify with W-2 pay stubs. Contractors and field workers should provide prior-year tax returns alongside recent stubs for commodity-cycle income context.
Alexandria Access
Winnfield is approximately 45 miles north of Alexandria via US-167. Some Winn Parish residents commute to Alexandria for healthcare, government, and professional services employment. Verify income from Alexandria employers the same as any other.
High Poverty & Screening Adaptation
Winn Parish’s ~27% poverty rate means a significant share of rental applicants may rely on fixed government income. Prioritize rental history and income reliability. Apply all screening criteria consistently per Fair Housing requirements.
Source of Income / HCV
No state or local source of income protections. Landlords are not required to accept Housing Choice Vouchers. Contact the relevant housing authority for current Winn Parish payment standards.
Self-Help Eviction
Prohibited. Lessors may not take possession by any means other than lawful judicial process (CCP Art. 4736). Lockouts, utility shutoffs, or removal of tenant belongings without a court order expose the lessor to liability.
Tenant Can Cure?No - Louisiana notices are unconditional. No right to cure by paying rent. However, tenant can negotiate with landlord. Notice can be waived entirely in lease.
Days to Hearing2-7 days
Days to Writ1-3 days
Total Estimated Timeline14-30 days
Total Estimated Cost$100-$400
⚠️ Watch Out
VERY landlord-friendly state. 5-day notice is UNCONDITIONAL - no cure right, tenant must vacate. Notice can be WAIVED in lease - if waived, landlord can file immediately without any notice. No grace period. No statewide late fee cap. No security deposit cap. Tenant gets only 24 hours to appeal after judgment. Lease term notice: 10-day for month-to-month, 30-day for year lease. Do not count weekends/holidays in 5-day period.
Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
File an eviction case with the Justice of the Peace Court / City Court / District Court. Pay the filing fee (~$50-150).
Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
Attend the court hearing and present your case.
If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
Law enforcement executes the writ and removes the tenant if necessary.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This page provides general information about Louisiana eviction laws and does not constitute legal advice.
Eviction procedures can vary by county and may change over time. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements or tenant protections.
For specific legal guidance, consult a qualified Louisiana attorney or local legal aid organization.
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⚠️ Disclaimer: These calculations are estimates based on state statutes and typical court timelines. Actual results vary by county, court backlog, and case specifics. Always verify current requirements with your local courthouse. This is not legal advice.
Winnfield market: Winn Correctional Center employees most stable (W-2 state employment). Timber W-2 employees verify with pay stubs; contract loggers need Schedule C. Alexandria commuters via US-167. ~27% poverty — adapt for fixed-income applicants. 8th JDC serves Winn Parish only — file at 119 W. Main Street, Winnfield.
Background checks, eviction history, credit reports — get the full picture before handing over the keys.
Winn Parish Louisiana Landlord-Tenant Law: A Guide for Rental Property Owners in Winnfield and Central Louisiana’s Pine Hills
Winn Parish is a small central Louisiana parish of approximately 13,700 people in the longleaf pine hills between Alexandria and Monroe, anchored by Winnfield — a town of about 4,400 with an outsized place in Louisiana political history. Winnfield is the birthplace of three Louisiana governors, and the name most associated with it across the country is Huey Pierce Long, the populist firebrand who transformed Louisiana politics and left a legacy that continues to shape how the state is understood and governed nearly a century after his assassination in 1935. Long’s brother Earl K. Long, also born in Winn Parish, served as governor three times, and O.K. Allen, another Winnfield native, occupied the office as well — a remarkable political concentration from a single small north Louisiana town. The Huey P. Long Museum in Winnfield preserves this heritage for visitors. For landlords, however, the parish’s practical economic reality is shaped not by its political history but by the Kisatchie National Forest timber economy, the Winn Correctional Center, and the quiet rhythms of a central Louisiana small-town rental market. The 8th Judicial District Court serves Winn Parish exclusively, handling evictions at the Winnfield courthouse.
Corrections Employment and the Stable Local Tenant
Winn Correctional Center has been one of the most significant employers in Winn Parish for decades, providing stable public sector employment in a parish whose private sector offers relatively few high-wage positions. Corrections officers and state facility employees — whether employed directly by the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections or through a contract management arrangement — have regular, predictable income and represent the most reliable locally-employed tenant segment in the Winnfield market. The Winn Parish School District provides similar stability. Both segments verify with standard pay stubs and employer confirmation. For the broader applicant pool in a parish with a ~27% poverty rate, the standard high-poverty market screening adaptation applies: prioritize rental history and income permanence over income multiples for applicants on fixed government benefits, and apply all criteria consistently per Fair Housing requirements.
Louisiana Law and the Eviction Process in Winn Parish
All Winn Parish evictions are filed in the 8th Judicial District Court, 119 W. Main Street, Winnfield, LA 71483, phone (318) 628-3515. The 8th JDC serves Winn Parish only — there is no shared jurisdiction with another parish, which keeps filing straightforward. Begin with a written 5-day notice to vacate for nonpayment or lease violation, served per CCP Art. 4704. After expiration, file a Rule to Show Cause. The court schedules a hearing, serves the rule at least 2 days before, and the judge rules. If the lessor prevails, the lessee has 24 hours to vacate before the Winn Parish Sheriff enforces a writ of possession. Month-to-month leases require 10-day written notice to terminate. Security deposits are capped at 2 months’ rent and must be returned with itemized deductions within 30 days.
This guide is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Louisiana landlord-tenant law is governed by the Civil Code and differs significantly from other states. Consult a licensed Louisiana attorney or contact the 8th Judicial District Court at (318) 628-3515 for guidance. Last updated: March 2026.
⚠️ Legal Disclaimer: This page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Louisiana landlord-tenant law is governed by the Civil Code and differs significantly from other states. Consult a licensed Louisiana attorney for guidance specific to your situation. Last updated: March 2026.
