Citation and service thereof are not necessary in a summary proceeding. A copy of the contradictory motion, rule to show cause, or other pleading filed by the plaintiff in the proceeding, and of any order of court assigning the date and hour of the trial thereof, shall be served upon the defendant.
Art. 2594.Service of Process
Book V. Summary and Executory Proceedings · Title I. Summary Proceedings · Chapter 1. Summary Proceedings · Amendment history unavailable · Last verified July 30, 2026
In one sentenceArticle 2594 dispenses with citation and its service in a summary proceeding, requiring instead that the defendant be served with a copy of the plaintiff's contradictory motion, rule to show cause, or other pleading, along with any court order setting the date and hour of trial.
Full Text of Art. 2594
Plain-English Summary
Citation in Louisiana is the formal act that opens an ordinary proceeding: a document directing the defendant to answer within a fixed number of days, served by the sheriff or another authorized process server. Article 2594 removes it from the summary track entirely — citation and its service are not necessary here.
Something still has to reach the defendant, though, and Article 2594 says what: a copy of whatever pleading the plaintiff used to begin the matter, whether a contradictory motion, a rule to show cause, or another pleading described elsewhere in this chapter, together with any court order that fixes the date and hour of trial. That combination tells the defendant both what is being asked and when to show up.
The effect is a lighter, faster form of notice suited to a proceeding designed to move quickly. The defendant still learns exactly what claim or request is on the table and gets a specific hearing date, but without the separate citation document and the longer answer period that citation triggers in an ordinary lawsuit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a defendant get served with a citation in a Louisiana summary proceeding?
No. Article 2594 makes citation and its service unnecessary in a summary proceeding.
How does a defendant find out about a summary proceeding filed against them?
Through service of a copy of the contradictory motion, rule to show cause, or other pleading the plaintiff filed, along with any court order setting the trial date and hour.
Does the defendant learn the trial date before the hearing?
Yes. Article 2594 requires the court's order assigning the date and hour of trial to be served along with the underlying pleading.
Why does Louisiana skip citation for summary proceedings?
Citation and its longer answer period fit the pace of an ordinary proceeding, not a track built for rapid resolution under Article 2591. Serving the pleading and the trial order gives the defendant fair notice without that added time.
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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