An assignment of errors is not necessary in any appeal. Where the appellant designates only portions of the record as the record on appeal, he must serve with his designation a concise statement of the points on which he intends to rely, and the appeal shall be limited to those points.
Art. 2129.Assignment of Errors Unnecessary; Exception
Book III. Proceedings in Appellate Courts · Title I. Appellate Procedure · Chapter 2. Procedure For Appealing · Amendment history unavailable · Last verified July 30, 2026
In one sentenceArticle 2129 tells appellants they need not file a formal assignment of errors to pursue a Louisiana appeal, but requires an appellant who designates only part of the record to also serve a concise statement of the points relied on, which then limits the appeal to those points.
Full Text of Art. 2129
Plain-English Summary
An assignment of errors is a formal list of the specific mistakes a party claims the trial court made, and other appellate systems often require one as a threshold filing. Louisiana dispenses with that formality. Article 2129 confirms that an appellant does not have to file an assignment of errors to have the appeal heard, consistent with this Code's broader preference for deciding cases on their merits rather than on technical prerequisites.
The article does attach a condition to Article 2128's designation procedure. An appellant who chooses to bring up only part of the trial court record, rather than the whole thing, has to serve, along with that designation, a concise statement identifying the specific points intended to be raised on appeal.
Once served, that statement fixes the boundaries of the appeal: the appellant is limited to the points identified in it. This protects the appellee, who relies on the designation and the accompanying statement of points, under Article 2128's own five-day window, to judge whether the partial record adequately supports defending the case on the issues being raised.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to file an assignment of errors to appeal in Louisiana?
No. Article 2129 states that an assignment of errors is not necessary in any appeal.
When do I have to state the specific points I intend to raise on appeal?
Only if designating just part of the trial court record under Article 2128; in that case, a concise statement of the points relied on must be served along with the designation.
What is the effect of the statement of points relied on?
It limits the appeal to those stated points, so an appellant who designates a partial record cannot later raise an issue outside what the statement identified.
Do I need a statement of points if I designate the entire record?
No. Article 2129's statement-of-points requirement applies only when the appellant designates less than the full record.
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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