East Baton Rouge Parish is named for “baton rouge” being French words meaning “red stick” referring to a tall cypress tree stripped of its bark and draped with freshly killed animals that marked the boundary between the hunting grounds of two Indian tribes in 1699.
Surrounding Parish Courthouses:
E – Saint Helena Parish and Livingston Parish
S – Ascension Parish and Iberville Parish
W – West Baton Rouge Parish, Pointe Coupee Parish and West Feliciana Parish
Created: December 22, 1810 
Parish Seat:
Baton Rouge 1810 – present
Parish Courthouse – Baton Rouge
Location: 300 North Boulevard / St. Louis Street
Built: 2005 – 2007
Style: Modern
Architect: Post Architects and KPS Group
Contractor: Walton Construction Company
Description: The building faces north and is a twelve story steel, glass and concrete structure. The building is located in the center of Baton Rouge with the old Parish Courthouse on the south side. The first three stories have vertical dividers and vertical glass walls between. The west section is white stone. The east section is glass with an extended metal overhang at the roof line. There is a two story foyer at the entrance. The Parish District Court courtrooms are located on the third story and upper stories. The eleventh story has an observation deck. The building houses the Parish District Court and Family of the 19th Judicial District.
Government and Judicial Complex – Baton Rouge
Location: 222 St. Louis Street / Louisiana Avenue
Built: 1975 – 1977
Style: Modern
Architect: Desmond-Miremont & Associates and Wilson & Coleman
Contractor: Charles Carter & Company, Inc.
Description: The building faces east and is a ten story steel, glass and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Baton Rouge to the west of the old Parish Courthouse. The building has vertical concrete pillars with horizontal windows between. The upper part of the building extends outwards. The roof line is flat. The building is named as the Governmental and Judicial Complex and houses The Parish Administration and Baton Rouge City Hall. In 2007, the courts moved into the new Parish Courthouse to the northeast.
Old Parish Courthouse – Baton Rouge
Location: 223 St. Louis Street / Louisiana Avenue
Built: 1921 – 1922
Style: Classical Revival
Architect: Edward F Neild and C E Olshner
Contractor: Caldwell Brothers
Description: The building faces west and is a three story buff colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Baton Rouge. The west front has eight square opening and a central entrance on the first story. Twelve columns rise from the second story to the top of the third story with recessed windows behind. The brick on the first story is horizontal. A balustrade runs along the flat roof line. The interior has a high foyer with stairs on the north side. The building has five courtrooms and the main courtroom is located on the first story. The building now houses the City Courts of Baton Rouge.
History: The parish was created in 1810 and Baton Rouge was selected as the parish seat. The first courthouse was built in Baton Rouge in 1807 and served as the courthouse from 1810 to 1857. The courthouse was later converted into a public school. The second courthouse was designed by Henry Kean and F Arbour and constructed in 1857. The third courthouse was constructed in 1921 to 1922 and is still standing. The fourth courthouse was constructed in 1975 to 1977 as the Governmental and Judicial Complex and the fifth and present courthouse was constructed in 2005 to 2007.
See: Louisiana First Court of Appeal
Parish Courthouse – Baton Rouge
Parish District Court – Civil courtroom
Governmental and Judicial Complex – Baton Rouge
Old Parish Courthouse – Baton Rouge
City Court courtroom
Photos taken 2011 and 2019