§ 13:5107 — Service of citation and process

Louisiana § 13:5107

• Jurisdiction: Louisiana
• Title 13: Courts and Judicial Procedure

Text

§5107. Service of citation and process
A.(1) In all suits filed against the state of Louisiana or a state agency, citation and
service may be obtained by citation and service on the attorney general of Louisiana, or on
any employee in his office above the age of sixteen years, or any other proper officer or
person, depending upon the identity of the named defendant and in accordance with the laws
of this state, and on the department, board, commission, or agency head or person, depending
upon the identity of the named defendant and in accordance with the laws of this state, and
on the department, board, commission, or agency head or person, depending upon the
identity of the named defendant and the identity of the named board, commission,
department, agency, or officer through which or through whom suit is to be filed against.
(2) Service shall be requested upon the attorney general within ninety days of filing
suit. This shall be sufficient to comply with the requirements of Subsection D of this Section
and also Code of Civil Procedure Article 1201(C). However, the duty of the defendant
served through the attorney general to answer the suit or file other responsive pleadings does
not commence to run until the additional service required upon the department, board,
commission, or agency head has been made.
B. In all suits filed against a political subdivision of the state, or any of its
departments, offices, boards, commissions, agencies or instrumentalities, citation and service
may be obtained on any proper agent or agents designated by the local governing authority
and in accordance with the laws of the state provided that the authority has filed notice of the
designation of agent for service of process with and paid a fee of ten dollars to the secretary
of state, who shall maintain such information with the information on agents for service of
process for corporations. If no agent or agents are designated for service of process, as
shown by the lack of such designation in the records of the secretary of state, citation and
service may be obtained on the district attorney, parish attorney, city attorney, or any other
proper officer or person, depending upon the identity of the named defendant and in
accordance with the laws of the state, and on the department, board, commission, or agency
head or person, depending upon the identity of the named defendant and the identity of the
named board, commission, department, agency, or officer through which or through whom
suit is to be filed against.
C. In all suits in which title to lands or waterbottoms under the jurisdiction of the
state land office is or may be at issue, and in all possessory actions, boundary disputes,
trespass actions, actions involving alleged acquisitive prescription of immovable property,
declaratory judgments, injunctions, and concursus proceedings involving such lands or
waterbottoms, citation and service of all pleadings also shall be made on the register of the
state land office. In all suits in which property rights, mineral rights, or authorities under the
jurisdiction of the State Mineral and Energy Board may also be at issue, citation and service
of all pleadings shall also be made on the secretary of the Department of Conservation and
Energy.
D.(1) In all suits in which the state, a state agency, or political subdivision, or any
officer or employee thereof is named as a party, service of citation shall be requested within
ninety days of the commencement of the action or the filing of a supplemental or amended
petition which initially names the state, a state agency, or political subdivision or any officer
or employee thereof as a party. This requirement may be expressly waived by the defendant
in such action by any written waiver. If not waived, a request for service of citation upon the
defendant shall be considered timely if requested on the defendant within the time period
provided by this Section, notwithstanding insufficient or erroneous service.
(2) If service is not requested by the party filing the action within the period required
in Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, the action shall be dismissed without prejudice, after
contradictory motion as provided in Code of Civil Procedure Article 1672(C), as to the state,
state agency, or political subdivision, or any officer or employee thereof, upon whom service
was not requested within the period required by Paragraph (1) of this Subsection.
(3) When the state, a state agency, or a political subdivision, or any officer or
employee thereof, is dismissed as a party pursuant to this Section, the filing of the action,
even as against other defendants, shall not interrupt or suspend the running of prescription
as to the state, state agency, or political subdivision, or any officer or employee thereof;
however, the effect of interruption of prescription as to other persons shall continue.

Legislative History

Acts 1975, No. 434, §1. Acts 1983, No. 586, §1; Acts 1985, No. 861, §1, eff. July 23, 1985; Acts 1996, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 63, §1, eff. May 9, 1996; Acts 1997, No. 518, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1998; Acts 2010, No. 55, §1; Acts 2012, No. 770, §1, eff. June 12, 2012; Acts 2014, No. 379, §1, eff. May 30, 2014; Acts 2018, No. 242, §1; Acts 2023, No. 150, §3, eff. Jan. 10, 2024.