City Court of East St. Tammany serves all of Wards 8 and 9 of St. Tammany Parish. The boundaries of these two Wards are essentially all of East St. Tammany Parish.

• The Court handles the following categories of cases:
  • Traffic violations
  • Driving while intoxicated (DWI)
  • Adult criminal
    • Includes: domestic violence, possession of marijuana, theft, felony arrest and search warrants
  • Juvenile felonies
  • Juvenile misdemeanors
  • Child In Need of Care (abused or neglected children)
  • Families In Need of Service
  • Adoptions
  • Civil lawsuits of up to $50,000
  • Small Claims (up to $5,000)
  • Evictions

Though City Court of East St. Tammany (formerly City Court of Slidell) was first established in 1964, it did not have its own home until the current Courthouse was built in 1998 at Bouscaren and Fourth Streets. Until then, it operated out of a second floor space in the Slidell Police Department.

In those early years, the number of cases at the Court were small and were managed on a part-time basis by the first Judges on the Court. That is no longer true; Court is now held five days a week as East St. Tammany Parish has seen its population grow substantially since those early years.

The original name of the Court was misleading as its jurisdiction is not just within the city limits of Slidell but serves all of Wards 8 and 9, which are essentially all of East St. Tammany Parish.  In 2020 upon entering office, Judge Bryan D. Haggerty, along with our local legislators, offically changed the court's name from City Court of Slidell to City Court of East St. Tammany which more clearly identifies the Court's jurisdiction.  

The Courthouse, built for $1.26 million, was named for the first Judge: Gus Fritchie, Sr., member of a prominent Slidell family and a respected attorney. He served from 1964 until his death in 1971. During Judge Fritchie’s period in office, the Court’s jurisdiction covered only Slidell. The state later expanded the court’s jurisdiction to cover all of the 8th and 9th wards.

His successor was his son, Gus Fritchie, Jr. (served 1971-1989), also a well-known local attorney. In private practice since 1953, Judge Fritchie maintained his practice throughout the time he served as City Court of Slidell Judge. First elected to finish his father’s term, Judge Fritchie was elected to three more terms before retiring in1989. Judge Fritchie died in 2001.

Judge James R. Strain, Jr., (served 1989 -1999) was elected following Judge Fritchie’s retirement. Though he’d been a judge on the 22nd Judicial District Court, Judge Strain wanted to revive his private law practice, which the part-time judgeship position in Slidell would allow him to do. However, after ten years, Judge Strain opted to step down from the position when the growing caseload no longer allowed him to have enough time for his private practice and his family.

It was Judge Strain who worked for nearly six years to get the Courthouse built. Chronic overcrowding left defendants, victims and attorneys waiting in a tight lobby, a situation Judge Strain told the local newspaper was “dangerous and inhumane.” Slidell city officials built the new Courthouse just down the street from the Slidell Police Department. Architect Nathan Curtis, who designed the Louisiana Superdome and the now-demolished Rivergate in New Orleans, was awarded a $69,000 contract to design the courthouse.

Judge Gary J. Dragon (served 1999 - 2004) was elected to the position after Judge Strain stepped down from office. A former Assistant District Attorney with the 22nd Judicial District, he had been assigned as Prosecutor for City Court of Slidell for eight years before he ran to replace Judge Strain. He served until May 3, 2004, when he died in office at the age of 57.

Judge James “Jim” Lamz, (served 2004 - 2019) a graduate of Slidell High School and Loyola University Law School, was elected Slidell City Court Judge in 2004. Because of the growth of the case load, immediately upon taking office Judge Lamz voluntarily retired from the private practice of law so he could serve the community as Judge full time.

Judge Bryan D. Haggerty (Presiding Judge since 2020) is a graduate of Loyola University Law School, an active member in multiple civic organizations, and also a proud veteran. Prior to his election as City Court Judge, Bryan D. Haggerty was actively engaged in the practice of law for over 20 years.  He served as the City Attorney for the City of Slidell for over 8 years, while maintaining a private practice. Since his election, Judge Haggerty followed his predecessor and voluntarily retired from his private practice so he may devote all of his attention to serving as Judge full time.

The Court has only had three City Marshals: J. Russell Camp, who served from the Court’s inception until 2004; Wyatt Williams (served 2004 – 2014), a former Slidell Police Department Captain; and, Kevin Foltz (servinig 2014-present), the former Slidell Police Department Assistant Police Chief, who remains City Marshal today.

In addition to housing the courtrooms and Judge’s offices, the Courthouse also holds the offices of the City Marshal, Clerk of Court and Probation Office.