La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 683
This is the official text of La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 683, part of Louisiana’s Code of Civil Procedure — sets the procedural rules for civil lawsuits in Louisiana courts.
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.
Unemancipated minor
Official statutory text
A. An unemancipated minor has no procedural capacity to sue.
B. All persons having parental authority over an unemancipated minor must join as proper plaintiffs to sue to enforce a right of the minor, unless a joint custody implementation order otherwise applies. Nevertheless, with permission of the court, any person having parental authority may represent the minor whenever the other person having parental authority fails or refuses to do so.
C. During tutorship, the tutor is the proper plaintiff to sue to enforce a right of the unemancipated minor.
D. Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph A, B, or C of this Article, an attorney appointed by the court having jurisdiction over an unemancipated minor who is in the legal custody of the Department of Children and Family Services is the proper plaintiff to sue to enforce a right of an unemancipated minor. Upon application of the tutor or a person having parental authority who would otherwise be the proper plaintiff to sue pursuant to Paragraph B or C of this Article, the court shall appoint or substitute as the proper plaintiff the best qualified among the tutor, a person having parental authority, or the appointed attorney.
Acts 1992, No. 106, §1, eff. June 5, 1992; Acts 1993, No. 867, §1, eff. June 23, 1993; Acts 1995, No. 268, §1, eff. June 14, 1995; Acts 2004, No. 26, §2; Acts 2012, No. 741, §1; Acts 2015, No. 260, §2, eff. Jan. 1, 2016.
B. All persons having parental authority over an unemancipated minor must join as proper plaintiffs to sue to enforce a right of the minor, unless a joint custody implementation order otherwise applies. Nevertheless, with permission of the court, any person having parental authority may represent the minor whenever the other person having parental authority fails or refuses to do so.
C. During tutorship, the tutor is the proper plaintiff to sue to enforce a right of the unemancipated minor.
D. Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph A, B, or C of this Article, an attorney appointed by the court having jurisdiction over an unemancipated minor who is in the legal custody of the Department of Children and Family Services is the proper plaintiff to sue to enforce a right of an unemancipated minor. Upon application of the tutor or a person having parental authority who would otherwise be the proper plaintiff to sue pursuant to Paragraph B or C of this Article, the court shall appoint or substitute as the proper plaintiff the best qualified among the tutor, a person having parental authority, or the appointed attorney.
Acts 1992, No. 106, §1, eff. June 5, 1992; Acts 1993, No. 867, §1, eff. June 23, 1993; Acts 1995, No. 268, §1, eff. June 14, 1995; Acts 2004, No. 26, §2; Acts 2012, No. 741, §1; Acts 2015, No. 260, §2, eff. Jan. 1, 2016.
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Need a lawyer in Louisiana?
Find a Louisiana lawyer
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.