In the execution of a writ, mandate, order, or judgment of a court, the sheriff may enter on the lands, and into the residence or other building, owned or occupied by the judgment debtor or defendant. If necessary to effect entry, he may break open any door or window. If resistance is offered or threatened, he may require the assistance of the police, of neighbors, and of persons present or passing by.
Art. 325.Right of Entry For Execution; May Require Assistance of Others If Resistance Offered Or Threatened
Title I. Courts · Chapter 6. Sheriffs · Amendment history unavailable · Last verified July 30, 2026
In one sentenceArticle 325 gives the sheriff a right of entry onto land and into buildings owned or occupied by a judgment debtor or defendant when executing a writ, mandate, order, or judgment, letting him break open a door or window if necessary and call on police, neighbors, or bystanders for help if he meets resistance.
Full Text of Art. 325
Plain-English Summary
Carrying out a court order sometimes requires getting onto property that a locked gate or a closed door keeps the sheriff from reaching. Article 325 gives him a right of entry onto land and into a residence or other building owned or occupied by the judgment debtor or defendant, so a closed door does not stop execution of a valid writ, mandate, order, or judgment.
The force authorized is limited to what entry requires: the sheriff may break open a door or window only if necessary to get in, not as a matter of course. If someone resists or threatens resistance, Article 325 does not leave him to handle it alone — he may call on the police, neighbors, or people present or passing by for assistance.
The right of entry runs to property owned or occupied by the debtor or defendant. It is not a general license to search any building the sheriff thinks might hold the debtor's belongings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the sheriff break down a door to execute a writ?
Yes, if necessary to effect entry, though only that much force is authorized — not force beyond what gaining entry requires.
Whose property can the sheriff enter under Article 325?
Land, a residence, or another building owned or occupied by the judgment debtor or the defendant.
What can the sheriff do if someone tries to stop the seizure?
He may require the assistance of the police, of neighbors, or of persons present or passing by if resistance is offered or threatened.
Does this let the sheriff search a stranger's home looking for the debtor's property?
No. The right of entry under Article 325 reaches only property owned or occupied by the judgment debtor or defendant.
Source & verification. Article text is reproduced verbatim from
the vLex (Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure, 2026 Edition). Enacted by the Louisiana Legislature.
Last verified July 30, 2026.
· Official source
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