Art. 4923 Form of judgment; justice of the peace courts; district courts with concurrent jurisdiction

When a justice of the peace court or a district court handling small claims makes a decision, that decision has to be put in writing. Someone with authority has to sign it, either the justice of the peace or the clerk of court.

This matters because a spoken decision isn't enough to make a judgment official. Having it in writing and signed gives both sides proof of what was decided. It also creates a clear record if someone needs to appeal or enforce the judgment later.