The following judicial proceedings may be conducted by the district judge in chambers or by any audio- visual means:
Art. 195.Judicial Proceedings In Chambers
Title I. Courts · Chapter 4. Power and Authority · Last amended 2022 · Last verified July 30, 2026
In one sentenceArticle 195 lists the judicial proceedings — including hearings on a legal representative’s authority, unopposed homologation of accounts, wage garnishment exemption disputes, and judgment debtor examinations — that a Louisiana district judge may conduct in chambers or by audio-visual means rather than in open court.
Full Text of Art. 195
(1) Hearing on an application by a legal representative for authority, whether opposed or unopposed, and on a petition for emancipation.
(2) Homologation of a tableau of distribution, or of an account, filed by a legal representative, so far as unopposed.
(3) Trial of a rule to determine the nonexempt portion of wages, salaries, or commissions seized under garnishment and to direct the payment thereof periodically by the garnishee to the sheriff.
(4) Examination of a judgment debtor.
(5) Trial of or hearing on any other action, proceeding, or matter that the law expressly provides may be tried or heard in chambers.
Amendment History
Amended by Acts 2021, No. 68, §1, eff. 1/1/2022.
Plain-English Summary
Article 195 identifies proceedings that do not need the formality of open court and can instead be handled in chambers, or through audio-visual means, by the district judge. The listed categories include a legal representative’s application for authority, whether opposed or not, and a petition for emancipation; unopposed homologation of a tableau of distribution or account filed by a legal representative; a rule to determine the nonexempt portion of wages, salaries, or commissions seized under garnishment; and examination of a judgment debtor.
A final category is a catch-all: any other action, proceeding, or matter that the law expressly says may be tried or heard in chambers. That keeps the list from becoming outdated every time a different statute authorizes an in-chambers proceeding for some other purpose.
By allowing audio-visual means as an alternative to a judge’s physical chambers, Article 195 works alongside Article 195.1’s broader remote-technology provisions and reflects the same practical shift: routine or largely administrative matters do not need the full apparatus of an open courtroom to reach a sound resolution.
Frequently Asked Questions
What proceedings can a Louisiana judge handle in chambers instead of open court?
Article 195 lists several: a legal representative’s application for authority, a petition for emancipation, unopposed homologation of a tableau or account, a rule over the nonexempt portion of garnished wages, and examination of a judgment debtor, along with any other matter the law expressly allows to be heard in chambers.
Can these proceedings happen by video instead of in the judge’s physical chambers?
Yes. Article 195 allows these proceedings to be conducted in chambers or by any audio-visual means.
Is a homologation of an account always eligible for an in-chambers hearing?
Only if it is unopposed. Article 195 limits that category to homologation proceedings that are unopposed.
How does Article 195 relate to Article 195.1?
Article 195 lists specific proceedings a judge may hear in chambers or by audio-visual means. Article 195.1 sets out a broader framework for appearing remotely by audio-visual technology in civil proceedings generally.
Source & verification. Article text is reproduced verbatim from
the vLex (Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure, 2026 Edition). Enacted by the Louisiana Legislature.
Last verified July 30, 2026.
· Official source
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