
Louisiana Supreme Court Building
Posted: 07.23.2021 | Updated: 01.20.2025
Even though Baton Rouge is the capital of Louisiana, the Louisiana Supreme Court meets in the French Quarter, right in the heart of New Orleans. The building is known for its beautiful architecture, with its terra cotta Beaux-Arts style standing out against the creole architecture of the Vieux Carré.
The facility hosts not just the Chief Justices of the state, but also the Law Library, the Attorney General, the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, among several other offices.
Even though it’s considered one of the city’s gems, it remained neglected for decades. All of the legal offices had vacated the building in the 1940s, and it wasn’t until a restoration project in the 90s that brought the building back to life.
Who Haunts The Louisiana Supreme Court?
This historic Southern courthouse is also known for its hauntings. Legends say that two witnesses to a crime were shot dead during a court hearing in the 1930s inside. The mafia was allegedly behind the murders.
The ghosts of the two witnesses still haunt the premises. Staff have reported phantom footsteps in and around the courtroom where they were murdered.
The ghost of a lawyer also lives in the building. He’s the most encountered ghost in the courthouse, and he can be seen wearing a beige suit and a briefcase. Those who have witnessed his apparition say that he always seems to be in a hurry, vanishing after going through a door or turning a corner. Experts speculate that he’s the ghost of a lawyer who shot himself in the courthouse after losing a big case.
Find out that truth for yourself on a New Orleans walking ghost tour with NOLA Ghosts!
Exchange Alley

The site where the Supreme Court now sits was once a popular market district known as Exchange Alley. The square was once lined with the offices of politicians and lawyers. But, over time, had earned quite a seedy reputation.
The area became abandoned and rundown. Pirates, bootleggers, and shady merchants used the alley to peddle their wares. Fights, stabbings, and murders were common.
Still, the people of New Orleans loved their dark little square, so when the Louisiana Supreme Court announced their decision to raze Exchange Alley, the public was outraged.
Some saw the action as an attempt to reclaim a lost neighborhood, but most felt like they were losing a part of their history. When the alley was demolished, the Daily Picayune reported that Exchange Alley was one of “the most historic sites in New Orleans.”
Building The Louisiana Supreme Court
Before the new Supreme Court Building was erected in 1910, the courts operated out several buildings around New Orleans. They were originally in the Government House, until 1820 when they moved to the Presbytere and Cabildo buildings on Jackson Square.
By the late 1800s, it had become apparent that the Supreme Court needed a new headquarters. The Louisiana Bar motioned to have a new building erected.
The original plan was to demolish the Cabildo and the Presbytere, but that caused a massive public backlash. So they planned to renovate the St. Louis Exchange Hotel, until settling on the area around Exchange Alley.
While the plan did cause some public outcry, it was much less so than their plan to demolish Jackson Square. Exchange Alley had long become rundown, and the fact that it was once home to several politicians and lawmakers made it a fitting location for the new Supreme Court Building. Demolition of the alley began in 1903.
The new courthouse building
was completed in 1910, and the first session in the building was held in October of the same year. The building also held several state offices like the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife and the Attorney General’s Office.
An Eye Sore In The Quarter
The Louisiana Supreme Court Building was considered an eyesore when it was completed. It was called an “intrusion” and an “artistic loss” by locals and the media. Architect Charles Harris Whitaker called it “one of the worst examples of a public building to be found in all of America.”
In the 1940s, the lack of public funding made the Supreme Court Building a difficult place to work. The building was not being maintained and had begun to fall into disrepair.
Several government offices decided to relocate, and it moved to the Civic Center in 1948. The building remained mostly abandoned for decades, though the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife continued to operate in the building until 1982.
The possibility of renovating the Royal Street building began to circulate amongst lawyers and politicians in the 80s and 90s. The idea gathered steam, and the Louisiana Historical Society was founded in 1992 to lead the charge. Over the next few years, the organization secured funding and began restorations. By 2004, the building was complete, and the New Orleans courthouse was moved back to Royal Street.
The Ghosts of the Old Courthouse
While the Supreme Court building doesn’t do ghost tours, numerous employees and staff can corroborate the ghostly tales of the grand building on Royal Street. They say that at least four spirits live in the building.
The most encountered ghost in the Supreme Court Building is that of a lawyer who lost a huge case sometime in the 1950s. The man shot himself inside the building out of grief. His ghost has lived on Royal Street every since.
Those who have seen the lawyer say that he wears a beige suit and carries a briefcase. He always seems to be in a hurry and is often seen walking the halls at a brisk pace. He is known to walk through walls and disappear around corners. Some even claim to have seen him outside the courthouse, walking through the street as if he just left the building.

In the 1930s, a murder case involving the mafia took place here. In an attempt to save one of their own, two of the witnesses were shot dead in the courtroom by one of the mafioso’s gangsters.
The ghosts of the two witnesses live on in the Supreme Court building. Many claim to have heard their phantom footsteps stomping around the courthouse. Noises echo through the halls of the building, and it’s quite daunting to hear someone walking around when the place is empty.
The ghost of a young woman hangs out right outside of the building. She is often seen sobbing on the steps of the Supreme Court. Nobody knows who she is, and there aren’t any records that identify who she might be. Some witnesses claimed to feel her reach out to them after seeing her apparition.
Why Is New Orleans So Haunted?
The Big Easy is known for its haunts. While there are plenty of spooky hotspots around New Orleans, sometimes ghosts just appear while walking down the street. It’s part of the city’s soul. But if you want to visit some of the city’s scariest frights, make sure to bring some extra shorts, because the spirits in New Orleans can be a bit rowdy.
Let us guide you through this mishmash of strange spirits and lingering souls on a French Quarter ghost tour! Until then, read our blog for more spooky stories like that of the Louisiana Supreme Court Building.
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Sources:
- https://www.hauntedplaces.org/item/louisiana-supreme-court-building/
- https://www.sclahs.org/about-the-society/history/current-building/
- https://architecture.tulane.edu/preservation-project/timeline-entry/847
- https://www.louisianahauntedhouses.com/real-haunt/louisiana-supreme-court-building.html
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