Art. 1463.Production of Documents and Things; Entry Upon Land, Persons Not Parties
Book II. Ordinary Proceedings · Title III. Production of Evidence · Chapter 3. Discovery · Last amended 1995 · Last verified July 30, 2026
In one sentenceArticle 1463 lets a party reach documents and property held by someone who isn't part of the lawsuit, through a separate legal action or, more commonly, by serving that nonparty with a subpoena duces tecum while giving the other parties notice and a chance to attend the inspection.
Full Text of Art. 1463
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A. Articles 1461 and 1462 do not preclude an independent action against a person not a party for production of documents and things and permission to enter upon land.
B. In addition, a party may have a subpoena duces tecum served on a person not a party directing that person to produce documents and things for inspection and copying or to permit entry onto and inspection of land, provided that a reasonably accurate description of the things to be produced, inspected, or copied is given. A reasonable notice of the intended inspection, specifying date, time, and place shall be served on all other parties and shall specify that the other parties may attend and participate in the inspection and copying of the things to be produced. The rules applicable to depositions and subpoenas duces tecum issued and served in connection with depositions shall apply except to the extent inconsistent with this Paragraph.
Amendment History
Acts 1976, No. 574, §1; Acts 1995, No. 410, §1.
Plain-English Summary
Articles 1461 and 1462 only reach parties. Article 1463 fills the gap for documents, things, and land held by someone outside the lawsuit. It confirms a party can still bring an independent action against a nonparty to get production or entry, but the more practical route is the one the rest of the article describes: a subpoena duces tecum served directly on the nonparty.
The subpoena has to reasonably and accurately describe what's being sought -- documents to produce and copy, or land to enter and inspect. And because the other parties to the case have a stake in what turns up, the article requires reasonable notice of the date, time, and place of the inspection, served on everyone else in the case, so they can attend and participate rather than learn about the results secondhand.
The rules that govern depositions and the subpoenas duces tecum that go with them apply here too, except where they'd be inconsistent with this article's own notice-and-participation requirement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get documents from someone who isn't a party to my lawsuit?
Yes, most commonly through a subpoena duces tecum served on the nonparty, or through a separate independent action if needed.
Do the other parties in my case get notice of a nonparty subpoena?
Yes. Article 1463 requires reasonable notice of the date, time, and place of the inspection, served on all other parties, who may attend and participate.
What rules govern a subpoena duces tecum served on a nonparty?
The rules applicable to depositions and to subpoenas duces tecum issued in connection with depositions apply, except to the extent they'd be inconsistent with this article.
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
Also known as:nonparty subpoena duces tecumthird-party document subpoenanonparty productionsubpoena for documents