La. Code Crim. Proc. art. 835
This is the official text of La. Code Crim. Proc. art. 835, part of Louisiana’s Code of Criminal Procedure — sets the procedural rules for criminal cases 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.
Presence of defendant at pronouncement of sentence
Official statutory text
A. Except as provided in Paragraph B of this Article, in felony cases the defendant shall always be present when sentence is pronounced and, in misdemeanor cases, the defendant shall be present when sentence is pronounced unless excused by the court. If a sentence is improperly pronounced in the defendant's absence, he shall be resentenced when his presence is secured.
B. Nothing in this Article prohibits the court, by local rule, from providing for a defendant's appearance at the pronouncement of sentence by simultaneous audio-visual transmission in accordance with the provisions of Article 562.
Amended by Acts 2020, No. 160, ยง1.
B. Nothing in this Article prohibits the court, by local rule, from providing for a defendant's appearance at the pronouncement of sentence by simultaneous audio-visual transmission in accordance with the provisions of Article 562.
Amended by Acts 2020, No. 160, ยง1.
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Dealing with a criminal defense matter in Louisiana?
See all Louisiana Criminal Defense 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.