To effectively process and/or prosecute offenders under the Issuing Worthless Checks Law, Louisiana Revised Statute 14:71, this office has adopted the following procedures for filing complaints:
1. The check must have been written in Iberville, West Baton Rouge, or Pointe Coupee Parish.
2. The check must have been exchanged for something of value (cash, merchandise, services, etc.)
3. The check must have been processed through the banking system and subsequently stamped NSF, ACCOUNT CLOSED, NO ACCOUNT ON FILE, or ACCOUNT NOT FOUND.
4. Complete identification is required for prosecution including the check insurer’s address, driver’s license number, date of birth and sex. This information should be obtained from the check issuer at the time the check is accepted. The name of the person signing the check must be obtained on company checks. The clerk accepting the check must initial the check, (this is important for prosecution).
5. You must send a 10-day demand letter via certified U.S. Mail. The letter must be sent certified, return receipt requested and must give the writer 10 days from the date of their signature on the certified return receipt to pay in full directly to you. Do not accept any partial payments.
Either the signed receipt from the certified letter or the correspondence (unopened) marked refused or unclaimed will be returned to you by the post office.
6. Once the certified mail process has been completed, the following documentation must be forwarded to the Iberville, West Baton Rouge & Pointe Coupee Parishes.
• Check(s)Copy of the letter you sent
• Postal documentation from the certified letter *Send us the original documentation and keep a copy for your records.
7. You must keep this office informed of any change of address or telephone number in the event that we need to contact you.
8. Once a complaint has been filed with this office, you may not accept payment directly from the check issuer. You must instruct the check issuer to contact the District Attorney’s Office for payment instructions.
You must instruct the check issuer to contact the appropriate office for payment instructions:
Iberville – 225.687.5210
Pointe Coupee – 225.638.5531
West Baton Rouge – Sheriff’s Office 225.343.9234.
INELIGIBLE BAD CHECKS
Stop-payment checks
Payroll checks
Postdated checks (Postdated checks constitute promissory notes)
Contact: Jessel Ourso at jourso@18thjda.org