If there are several succession representatives, all action by them shall be taken jointly, unless:
Art. 3192.Duties and Powers of Multiple Representatives
Book VI. Probate Procedure · Title III. Administration of Successions · Chapter 4. General Functions, Powers, and Duties of Succession Representative · Amendment history unavailable · Last verified July 30, 2026
In one sentenceArticle 3192 requires co-representatives of a succession to act jointly on every matter unless the testator's testament provides otherwise or the representatives file a written authorization letting one of them act on behalf of all.
Full Text of Art. 3192
(1) The testator has provided otherwise; or
(2) The representatives have filed in the record a written authorization to a single representative to act for all.
Plain-English Summary
When a testator names more than one executor, or the court appoints more than one administrator, Article 3192 answers a question their combined authority raises immediately: does each one act independently, or do they have to agree? The default is joint action. Unless one of two exceptions applies, every act by multiple succession representatives has to be taken together.
The first exception comes from the testator: a testament can provide otherwise, directing that the co-executors may act independently of one another, or assigning them separate spheres of authority. The second comes from the representatives themselves: they can file a written authorization in the succession record letting a single one of them act on behalf of all. Either way, the departure from joint action has to be documented, so anyone dealing with the succession can confirm who has authority to bind it.
The joint-action default protects the succession and the people who stand to inherit from it. Requiring agreement among co-representatives guards against one of them committing succession property to a course of action the others would not have approved, consistent with the prudent-administrator standard Article 3191 sets for every succession representative.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do co-executors have to agree before taking action for the succession?
Yes, by default. Article 3192 requires all action by multiple succession representatives to be taken jointly unless an exception applies.
Can a testament let co-executors act independently of each other?
Yes. A testament can provide that the co-representatives need not act jointly.
Can the co-representatives agree among themselves to let one act for all?
Yes. Filing a written authorization in the succession record letting a single representative act on behalf of all the others satisfies the second exception under Article 3192.
What protects the succession from co-representatives disagreeing?
The joint-action default itself, which requires the co-representatives to align before binding succession property, so no single one of them can commit the estate to a course of action the others oppose.
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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