After considering the evidence, including the testimony and exhibits of a surveyor or other expert appointed by the court or by a party, the court shall render judgment fixing the boundary between the contiguous lands in accordance with the ownership or possession of the parties.
Art. 3693.Evidence; Judgment
Book VII. Special Proceedings · Title II. Real Actions · Chapter 2. Boundary Action · Last amended 1978 · Last verified July 30, 2026
In one sentenceArticle 3693 directs the court, after weighing the evidence, including testimony and exhibits from a court-appointed or party-appointed surveyor or other expert, to render a judgment fixing the boundary between the contiguous properties based on the parties' ownership or their possession.
Full Text of Art. 3693
Amendment History
Amended by Acts 1977, No. 169, §2, eff. 1/1/1978.
Plain-English Summary
Article 3693 closes out the boundary action chapter by telling the court what to do with the evidence gathered and what the resulting judgment must accomplish. The court considers all the evidence presented, including testimony and exhibits from any surveyor or other expert, whether appointed by the court under Article 3692 or retained by one of the parties.
The judgment itself has one job: fix the boundary between the contiguous lands. What is notable is the standard the court applies to do that. The line can be fixed according to the ownership of the parties, but it can also be fixed according to their possession — meaning a court can resolve a boundary dispute based on how the land has been used and occupied over time, not only by tracing title on paper.
That possession-based option matters in practice, since surveyed lines and long-standing fences, cultivated areas, or other markers on the ground do not always match exactly. Article 3693 gives the court room to account for that gap when it fixes the line.
Frequently Asked Questions
What evidence does the court consider when fixing a boundary?
All the evidence presented, including testimony and exhibits from a surveyor or other expert, whether that expert was appointed by the court under Article 3692 or retained independently by one of the parties.
Can a boundary be fixed based on how the land has been used, rather than what the title says?
Yes. Article 3693 lets the court fix the boundary in accordance with either the ownership or the possession of the parties, so long-standing use of the land can factor into where the line is drawn.
What does the final judgment in a boundary action do?
It fixes the boundary between the contiguous properties, resolving the line dispute based on the evidence, including expert survey evidence, presented at trial.
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 3693 Louisianaboundary action judgment Louisianafixing boundary by possession Louisianaevidence in boundary dispute Louisianasurveyor testimony boundary action