The acknowledgment of a claim by the succession representative, as provided in Article 3242, shall:
Art. 3243.Effect of Acknowledgment of Claim By Representative
Book VI. Probate Procedure · Title III. Administration of Successions · Chapter 5. Enforcement of Claims Against Successions · Amendment history unavailable · Last verified July 30, 2026
In one sentenceArticle 3243 gives a succession representative's acknowledgment of a claim three effects: it entitles the creditor to inclusion in the petition to pay debts or the tableau of distribution, creates a prima facie presumption the claim is valid, and suspends prescription while the succession remains under administration.
Full Text of Art. 3243
(1) Entitle the creditor to have his claim included in the succession representative's petition for authority to pay debts, or in his tableau of distribution, for payment in due course of administration;
(2) Create a prima facie presumption of the validity of the claim, even if it is not included in the succession representative's petition for authority to pay debts, or in his tableau of distribution; and
(3) Suspend the running of prescription against the claim as long as the succession is under administration.
Plain-English Summary
Acknowledgment under Article 3242 is not a formality without consequence. Article 3243 attaches three concrete effects to it, each protecting the creditor's position going forward.
First, acknowledgment entitles the creditor to have the claim included in the succession representative's petition for authority to pay debts, or in the tableau of distribution, the representative's formal list of how estate assets will be used to pay debts and legacies. Second, acknowledgment creates a prima facie presumption that the claim is valid, and that presumption holds even before the claim makes it into a petition or tableau. Third, acknowledgment suspends the running of prescription, Louisiana's civil-law analogue to a statute of limitations, against the claim for as long as the succession stays under administration.
Together these effects mean an acknowledged creditor does not have to keep proving the claim is good or worry about a prescription deadline slipping by while the estate works through administration. The representative's own written acknowledgment does much of that protective work automatically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an acknowledged claim automatically get paid?
Acknowledgment entitles the creditor to have the claim included in the petition to pay debts or the tableau of distribution, and creates a presumption of validity, but actual payment still follows the succession's administration and payment process.
Does acknowledgment stop the clock on a succession creditor's claim?
Yes. Article 3243 suspends the running of prescription against an acknowledged claim for as long as the succession remains under administration.
Is an acknowledged claim presumed valid even before it appears in the tableau?
Yes. Article 3243 creates that presumption from the acknowledgment itself, regardless of whether the claim has yet been included in a petition or tableau of distribution.
What happens to the prescription suspension once the succession closes?
The suspension under Article 3243 runs only as long as the succession is under administration, so a creditor should watch for that milestone and any other protection available, such as a formal proof of claim under Article 3245.
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: effect of acknowledgment succession claimArticle 3243 Louisianaprima facie presumption validity claimsuspend prescription acknowledged claim Louisianatableau of distribution inclusion creditor