House Bill No. [insert number] seeks to amend various provisions of the Louisiana Civil Code and Code of Civil Procedure to enhance civil procedure efficiency and clarity. Key amendments include the clarification of Civil Code Article 3462, which states that the interruption of prescription occurs when an action is filed in a competent court, regardless of venue. The bill introduces a seven-day suspension of prescription for defendants not served within the prescriptive period when an action is initiated in an improper venue. Additionally, it modifies Article 863(F) to prevent sanctions for original petitions filed within sixty days of a prescriptive date that are later dismissed or transferred. Other changes address attorney conduct, child custody proceedings, and the procedural capacity of interdicts, emphasizing the attorney's duty to maintain decorum and respect in court.

Further provisions in the bill focus on the management of court orders and judgments, requiring that a court order governs subsequent actions unless modified to prevent manifest injustice. It also mandates that notice of judgments be mailed or delivered in open court and clarifies the enforcement of mortgages, including amounts accruing post-judgment. The bill replaces the term "curators" with "attorneys" for representing absentee defendants and outlines the process for transferring cases to district courts. Additionally, it clarifies the computation of time for legal deadlines and repeals certain articles of the Code of Civil Procedure, ensuring that the amendments do not apply to actions that have already prescribed or to appeals filed before the Act's effective date. Overall, these changes aim to streamline court processes and improve the efficiency of legal proceedings in Louisiana.

Statutes affected:
HB178 Original: 9:863(F)
HB178 Engrossed: 9:863(F)
HB178 Enrolled: 9:863(F)
HB178 Act 250: 9:863(F)