A citation and a certified copy of the third party petition shall be served on the third party defendant in the manner prescribed by Articles 1231 through 1293. Unless previously served on or filed by the third party defendant, certified copies of the following pleadings shall also be served on him in the same manner: the petition in the principal demand; the petition in the reconventional demand, if any; and the answers to the principal and reconventional demands filed prior to the issuance of citation in the third party action.
Art. 1114.Service of Citation and Pleadings
Book II. Ordinary Proceedings · Title I. Pleading · Chapter 6. Incidental Actions · Last amended 1964 · Last verified July 30, 2026
In one sentenceArticle 1114 requires a citation and certified copy of the third-party petition to be served on the third-party defendant under Articles 1231 through 1293, along with certified copies of the principal and reconventional petitions and any answers already filed, unless the third-party defendant already has them.
Full Text of Art. 1114
Amendment History
Amended by Acts 1964, No. 4, §1.
Plain-English Summary
Unlike a reconventional demand or a cross-claim, a third-party demand brings in someone who was never part of the case before, so it needs the full formal opening that citation provides. Article 1114 requires a citation and a certified copy of the third-party petition to be served on the third-party defendant, following the general citation rules in Articles 1231 through 1293 — the same framework used to bring any new defendant into a Louisiana lawsuit.
Because the third-party defendant is stepping into a case with history already behind it, Article 1114 also requires bringing that person up to speed. Certified copies of the petition in the principal demand, the petition in the reconventional demand (if one was filed), and any answers to the principal and reconventional demands filed before the third-party citation issued all have to be served too — unless the third-party defendant already filed or was served with them, in which case there's no need to duplicate the paperwork.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a third-party defendant need to be formally cited into the case?
Yes. Unlike a reconventional demand or cross-claim, a third-party demand requires citation, served under the general rules in Articles 1231 through 1293.
What documents besides the third-party petition must be served on the third-party defendant?
Certified copies of the petition in the principal demand, the petition in the reconventional demand if any was filed, and any answers to those demands filed before the third-party citation issued.
Does the third-party defendant get duplicate copies of documents they already have?
No. Article 1114 excuses service of documents the third-party defendant already filed or was already served with.
Source & verification. Article text is reproduced verbatim from
the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure (legis.la.gov). Enacted by the Louisiana Legislature.
Last verified July 30, 2026.
· Official source
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