La. Ch. Code art. 1157
This is the official text of La. Ch. Code art. 1157, part of Louisiana’s Children's Code — governs child custody, child protection, and juvenile justice in Louisiana.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
Reclaiming of parental rights by the relinquishing parent; hearing
Official statutory text
A. A relinquishing parent may reclaim parental rights by proving by clear and convincing evidence that:
(1) The parent is the parent of the child.
(2) Setting aside the relinquishment and permitting the parent to reclaim the child is in the child's best interests.
B. If the court finds that the relinquishment should be set aside and that the parent may reclaim his parental rights, then the parent shall prove also that he has manifested a substantial commitment to his parental responsibilities and that he is a fit parent of the child.
C. The child, the other parent, and the legal custodian may offer rebuttal evidence limited to the issues enumerated in Paragraphs A and B of this Article.
D. If the court finds that the parent has established his parental rights, the court shall declare that no adoption may be granted without his consent. The court may also order the parent to reimburse the department, or whoever has assumed liability for such costs, all or part of the medical expenses incurred for the infant in connection with his birth and care.
E. If the court finds that the parent has failed to establish his parental rights, it shall declare that his rights are terminated.
Acts 2003, No. 609, §2; Acts 2024, No. 398, §1.
(1) The parent is the parent of the child.
(2) Setting aside the relinquishment and permitting the parent to reclaim the child is in the child's best interests.
B. If the court finds that the relinquishment should be set aside and that the parent may reclaim his parental rights, then the parent shall prove also that he has manifested a substantial commitment to his parental responsibilities and that he is a fit parent of the child.
C. The child, the other parent, and the legal custodian may offer rebuttal evidence limited to the issues enumerated in Paragraphs A and B of this Article.
D. If the court finds that the parent has established his parental rights, the court shall declare that no adoption may be granted without his consent. The court may also order the parent to reimburse the department, or whoever has assumed liability for such costs, all or part of the medical expenses incurred for the infant in connection with his birth and care.
E. If the court finds that the parent has failed to establish his parental rights, it shall declare that his rights are terminated.
Acts 2003, No. 609, §2; Acts 2024, No. 398, §1.
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Dealing with a child custody matter in Louisiana?
See all Louisiana Child Custody lawyers
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.