Book IV. Execution of Judgments · Title II. Money Judgments · Chapter 4. Garnishment Under a Writ of Fieri Facias · Last amended 2022 · Last verified July 30, 2026
In one sentenceArticle 2414 requires the clerk to notify the judgment creditor when the garnishee's sworn answer is filed and gives the creditor thirty days to traverse that answer by contradictory motion, or else lose the seizure over any property or debt the garnishee did not admit holding or owing.
Full Text of Art. 2414
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A. The clerk shall cause written notice of the filing of the garnishee's answer to be served promptly upon the seizing creditor in the manner provided by Article 1314.
B. Unless the creditor files a contradictory motion traversing the answer of the garnishee within thirty days after service upon him of the notice of the filing of the garnishee's answer, any property of the judgment debtor in the possession of the garnishee and any indebtedness to the judgment debtor which the garnishee has not admitted holding or owing shall be released from seizure. A new seizure may be made of such property or indebtedness by filing a supplemental petition and serving additional interrogatories.
Amendment History
Amended by Acts 2022, No. 265, §1, eff. 8/1/2022.
Plain-English Summary
Once the garnishee files a sworn answer to the interrogatories, the clerk serves written notice of that filing on the judgment creditor. That notice starts a clock. The creditor has thirty days to traverse the answer, meaning to formally dispute it through a contradictory motion, if the creditor believes the garnishee holds more of the debtor's property or owes the debtor more than the answer admits.
Traversing puts the garnishee's sworn statement to the test in court, rather than accepting it at face value. If the creditor lets the thirty days pass without filing that motion, Article 2414 releases from seizure any property in the garnishee's possession, and any indebtedness, that the garnishee did not admit holding or owing. The seizure survives only as to what the garnishee admitted.
That release is not necessarily the end of the matter. If the creditor later learns of additional property or debt the garnishee holds, Article 2414 allows a new seizure through a supplemental petition and additional interrogatories, effectively starting the garnishment process over for that newly discovered property.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to "traverse" a garnishee's answer in Louisiana?
It means formally disputing the garnishee's sworn answer through a contradictory motion, typically because the creditor believes the garnishee holds more property or owes more than the answer admits.
How long does the judgment creditor have to traverse the garnishee's answer?
Thirty days after being served with notice that the garnishee's answer was filed. Article 2414 sets that deadline.
What happens if the creditor doesn't traverse the answer in time?
Any property in the garnishee's possession, and any indebtedness, that the garnishee's answer did not admit holding or owing is released from seizure.
Can the creditor still reach property the garnishee didn't admit to after the release?
Yes, if the creditor later discovers it. Article 2414 allows a new seizure of that property or indebtedness through a supplemental petition and additional interrogatories.
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:Article 2414 Louisianatraversing garnishee's answer Louisiananotice of garnishee answerthirty days to traverse garnishment answerrelease of seizure garnishee answer not traversed