The citation must be signed by the clerk of the court issuing it with an expression of his official capacity and under the seal of his office; must be accompanied by a certified copy of the petition, exclusive of exhibits, even if made a part thereof; and must contain the following:
Art. 1202.Form of Citation
Book II. Ordinary Proceedings · Title II. Citation and Service of Process · Chapter 1. Citation · Amendment history unavailable · Last verified July 30, 2026
In one sentenceArticle 1202 lists what a valid citation must contain — the clerk's signature and seal, a certified copy of the petition, the date of issuance, the case title, the name of the person addressed, the issuing court's title and location, and a warning that failing to respond within the delay set by Article 1001 exposes the defendant to default.
Full Text of Art. 1202
(1) The date of issuance;
(2) The title of the cause;
(3) The name of the person to whom it is addressed;
(4) The title and location of the court issuing it; and
Plain-English Summary
Because citation is a document, Louisiana spells out exactly what has to appear on it. Article 1202 requires the clerk of court who issues the citation to sign it, state their official capacity, and affix the seal of their office. The citation must also come with a certified copy of the petition, not counting exhibits, even when those exhibits were attached to and made part of the original petition filed with the court.
Beyond that, the citation itself must contain five things: the date it was issued; the title of the case; the name of the person to whom it's addressed; the title and location of the court that issued it; and a statement warning the person that they must comply with the petition's demand or make an appearance — by filing a pleading or otherwise — within the delay Article 1001 allows, or risk a default judgment.
These requirements exist so a defendant reading the citation knows, without needing a lawyer to translate it, exactly what court is involved, what's being demanded, and what the deadline and consequence of inaction are. A defective citation can expose the underlying service to challenge through a declinatory exception.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to sign a citation?
The clerk of the court issuing it, who must sign with an expression of their official capacity and place the seal of their office on the document.
Does a citation have to include a copy of the petition?
Yes, a certified copy, excluding exhibits, even if the exhibits were made part of the petition when it was filed.
What five things must appear in the citation itself?
The date of issuance, the title of the case, the name of the person addressed, the title and location of the issuing court, and a statement warning of default if the person doesn't comply or appear within the delay Article 1001 allows.
What happens if a citation is missing required information?
A defective citation can be challenged through a declinatory exception raising insufficiency of citation, which can affect whether service was valid.
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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