Madison Parish is a small northeast Louisiana Delta parish of approximately 10,800 people anchored by Tallulah — the parish seat with a population of about 6,800 — situated along US-80 between Monroe to the west and the Mississippi River to the east, bordering Mississippi across the river. Like its neighbor East Carroll Parish to the north, Madison Parish is a classic Mississippi Delta community built on cotton agriculture, and it shares many of the same economic characteristics: very high poverty, limited private sector employment diversity, and a rental market shaped primarily by agricultural employment, public sector jobs, and government transfer income. Madison Parish shares the 6th Judicial District Court with East Carroll Parish, with Madison Parish matters filed at the Tallulah courthouse.
The parish poverty rate of approximately 36% is among the highest in Louisiana and the United States. The rental market is extremely small, concentrated almost entirely in Tallulah, with very low rents. Louisiana Civil Code governs all leases with no local rent control or just-cause eviction requirements. The approach to tenant screening in Madison Parish requires the same thoughtful adaptation to high-poverty market realities that characterizes successful landlording throughout the northeast Louisiana Delta.
No parish-level rental license required. Louisiana has no statewide landlord licensing statute. Verify with the City of Tallulah for any local code enforcement requirements within city limits.
Rent Control
None. Louisiana has no statewide rent control and Madison 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 — 6th Judicial District (Madison Division)
All Madison Parish eviction proceedings are filed in the 6th Judicial District Court — Madison Parish Division, Madison Parish Courthouse, 100 N. Cedar Street, Tallulah, LA 71282. Phone: (318) 574-0655. Hours: Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Note: The 6th JDC serves both Madison and East Carroll parishes; Madison Parish matters are filed at the Tallulah courthouse. 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.
Delta Agriculture & Seasonal Income
Cotton, soybean, and corn farming on the fertile Mississippi River bottomlands is the primary private sector industry. Agricultural income is highly seasonal — peak earnings during planting and harvest, substantially reduced in off-season months. Request prior-year tax returns or 12-month bank statements for agricultural worker applicants rather than relying on in-season pay stubs.
Very High Poverty & Screening Adaptation
Madison Parish’s ~36% poverty rate is among the highest in Louisiana and the United States. A very significant share of rental applicants rely on SSI, SSDI, Social Security, Housing Choice Vouchers, or other government transfer income. For these applicants, prioritize rental history and income stability (permanence and reliability of the income source) over income multiple. A permanent government benefit recipient with a strong rental history is a more reliable prospective tenant than a seasonal agricultural worker with higher theoretical income and no rental history. Apply all 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. Given the parish’s very high poverty rate, HCV participation is significant. Contact the Madison Parish Housing Authority for current HCV payment standards.
Lessor’s Privilege
Louisiana law gives lessors a legal privilege (lien) on the lessee’s movable property on the leased premises to secure up to two years of unpaid rent (CC Art. 2752). Consult a Louisiana attorney before attempting to exercise this right.
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.
Underground Landlord
🏘️ Communities & Screening Tips
Key communities: Tallulah, Richmond, Waverly.
Tallulah market: ~36% poverty — one of Louisiana’s highest. Agricultural workers need full-year documentation. Prioritize rental history and income stability over income multiple for fixed-income applicants. HCV participation is significant. School district employees most stable local segment. 6th JDC shared with East Carroll; file Madison Parish matters at Tallulah courthouse.
Background checks, eviction history, credit reports — get the full picture before handing over the keys.
Madison Parish Louisiana Landlord-Tenant Law: A Guide for Rental Property Owners in Tallulah and the Louisiana Delta
Madison Parish is the Louisiana Delta at its most characteristic — flat, fertile bottomland stretching to the horizon in every direction, cotton fields lining the roads, and a parish seat at Tallulah that has the feel of a small town that peaked economically a generation or two ago and has been adjusting to diminished circumstances ever since. The parish sits along US-80 in the northeast corner of Louisiana, bounded by the Mississippi River to the east and by Franklin and Richland parishes to the west, and its population of approximately 10,800 makes it one of Louisiana’s smaller parishes by headcount while its poverty rate of approximately 36% makes it one of the most economically distressed anywhere in the United States.
Screening in a High-Poverty Delta Market
Operating as a landlord in Madison Parish means operating in a market where conventional screening metrics — particularly income multiples — require thoughtful adaptation. When a significant share of the rental applicant pool has income primarily from SSI, Social Security, SSDI, Housing Choice Vouchers, or other government transfer payments, a rigid application of a 3x income-to-rent ratio will screen out a large portion of the potential tenant pool on criteria that do not actually predict payment behavior. A Social Security retirement recipient receiving $900 per month applying for a $425 rent property has a 2.1x income ratio — below the 3x standard threshold — but has income that is perfectly reliable, perfectly permanent, and utterly immune to layoff, commodity cycles, or seasonal variation. The appropriate response is not to reject that applicant on the income ratio but to evaluate their rental history, payment reliability, and income source stability alongside the income level itself.
The most predictive screening criteria in high-poverty Delta markets are rental history — did this person pay on time at their last rental, and can you reach their prior lessor to confirm it — and income reliability. A government benefit that arrives on the same day every month is more reliable than seasonal agricultural income that disappears for several months a year, even if the agricultural income is higher on paper during peak season. Apply all screening criteria consistently across all applicants per Fair Housing requirements.
Louisiana Law and the Eviction Process in Madison Parish
All Madison Parish evictions are filed in the 6th Judicial District Court, Madison Parish Division, 100 N. Cedar Street, Tallulah, LA 71282, phone (318) 574-0655. The 6th JDC serves both Madison and East Carroll parishes; Madison Parish matters are filed at the Tallulah courthouse. 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 Madison 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 6th Judicial District Court at (318) 574-0655 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.
