La. Ch. Code art. 855
This is the official text of La. Ch. Code art. 855, 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.
Advice of rights at appearance to answer
Official statutory text
A. When the child appears to answer the petition, the court shall first determine that the child is capable of understanding statements about his rights under this Code.
B. If the child is capable, the court shall then advise the child of the following items in terms understandable to the child:
(1) The nature of this delinquency proceeding.
(2) The nature of the allegations of the petition.
(3) His right to an adjudication hearing.
(4) His right to be represented by an attorney, his right to have counsel appointed as provided in Article 809, and his right in certain circumstances authorized by Article 810 to waive counsel.
(5) His privilege against self-incrimination.
(6) The range of responses authorized under Article 856.
(7) The possible consequences of his admission that the allegations are true, including the maximum and minimal dispositions which the court may impose pursuant to Articles 897 through 900. In addition, if the child is fourteen years of age or older and the petition charges the child with the perpetration, attempted perpetration, or conspiracy to commit any of the following offenses, the court shall inform the child that, if he admits to allegations of the petition, or the allegations of the petition are found to be true, he may be required to register as a sex offender pursuant to Chapter 3-B of Title 15 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, and the court shall inform the child regarding applicable required registrations and their duration:
(a) Aggravated or first degree rape as defined in R.S. 14:42.
(b) Forcible or second degree rape as defined in R.S. 14:42.1.
(c) Second degree sexual battery as defined in R.S. 14:43.2.
(d) Aggravated kidnapping of a child who has not attained the age of thirteen years pursuant to R.S. 14:44 or 44.2.
(e) Second degree kidnapping of a child who has not attained the age of thirteen years as defined in R.S. 14:44.1.
(f) Aggravated crime against nature defined by R.S. 14:89.1(A)(2) involving circumstances defined by R.S. 15:541 as an aggravated offense.
(g) Aggravated crime against nature as defined in R.S. 14:89.1(A)(1).
Acts 1991, No. 235, §8, eff. Jan. 1, 1992; Acts 2010, No. 594, §1; Acts 2014, No. 602, §1, eff. June 12, 2014; Acts 2015, No. 184, §8.
B. If the child is capable, the court shall then advise the child of the following items in terms understandable to the child:
(1) The nature of this delinquency proceeding.
(2) The nature of the allegations of the petition.
(3) His right to an adjudication hearing.
(4) His right to be represented by an attorney, his right to have counsel appointed as provided in Article 809, and his right in certain circumstances authorized by Article 810 to waive counsel.
(5) His privilege against self-incrimination.
(6) The range of responses authorized under Article 856.
(7) The possible consequences of his admission that the allegations are true, including the maximum and minimal dispositions which the court may impose pursuant to Articles 897 through 900. In addition, if the child is fourteen years of age or older and the petition charges the child with the perpetration, attempted perpetration, or conspiracy to commit any of the following offenses, the court shall inform the child that, if he admits to allegations of the petition, or the allegations of the petition are found to be true, he may be required to register as a sex offender pursuant to Chapter 3-B of Title 15 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, and the court shall inform the child regarding applicable required registrations and their duration:
(a) Aggravated or first degree rape as defined in R.S. 14:42.
(b) Forcible or second degree rape as defined in R.S. 14:42.1.
(c) Second degree sexual battery as defined in R.S. 14:43.2.
(d) Aggravated kidnapping of a child who has not attained the age of thirteen years pursuant to R.S. 14:44 or 44.2.
(e) Second degree kidnapping of a child who has not attained the age of thirteen years as defined in R.S. 14:44.1.
(f) Aggravated crime against nature defined by R.S. 14:89.1(A)(2) involving circumstances defined by R.S. 15:541 as an aggravated offense.
(g) Aggravated crime against nature as defined in R.S. 14:89.1(A)(1).
Acts 1991, No. 235, §8, eff. Jan. 1, 1992; Acts 2010, No. 594, §1; Acts 2014, No. 602, §1, eff. June 12, 2014; Acts 2015, No. 184, §8.
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.