An interdiction proceeding shall be heard summarily and by preference. The defendant has a right to be present at the hearing and the court shall not conduct the hearing in his absence, unless the court determines that good cause exists to do so. The defendant has the right to present evidence, to testify, to cross-examine witnesses, and to otherwise participate at the hearing. If the defendant is unable to come to the courthouse for the hearing, the judge may hold the hearing where the defendant is located. The hearing may be closed for good cause. The court may call witnesses not called by the parties and may require the presence of a proposed curator.
Art. 4547.Hearing
Book VII. Special Proceedings · Title VIII. Interdiction and Curatorship of Interdicts · Chapter 1. In General · Enacted 2000 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 30, 2026
In one sentenceArticle 4547 gives the defendant in an interdiction proceeding the right to attend, present evidence, testify, and cross-examine witnesses at a summary, preferential hearing, while letting the court close the hearing for good cause, hold it where the defendant is located, and call its own witnesses or require the proposed curator's presence.
Full Text of Art. 4547
Amendment History
Acts 2000, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 25, §3, eff. 7/1/2001.
Plain-English Summary
An interdiction hearing is heard summarily and by preference, meaning it moves ahead of the ordinary docket rather than waiting in line behind slower-moving cases. Within that faster track, Article 4547 builds in real participatory rights for the defendant: the right to be present, the right to present evidence, the right to testify, the right to cross-examine witnesses, and the right to otherwise participate. The court cannot hold the hearing in the defendant's absence unless it finds good cause to do so -- presence is the default, not an afterthought.
The Article also accommodates a defendant who cannot physically get to the courthouse: the judge may instead hold the hearing wherever the defendant is located. And because interdiction cases can involve sensitive personal and medical details, the hearing may be closed to the public for good cause.
Given the protective purpose behind interdiction, the court is not confined to what the parties choose to present. Article 4547 lets the court call witnesses that neither side called, and require the proposed curator to be present, so the judge deciding whether to grant this relief has the fullest picture the case allows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the person facing interdiction have to attend the hearing?
The defendant has a right to be present, and the court generally cannot hold the hearing in the defendant's absence absent good cause.
Can an interdiction hearing take place somewhere other than the courthouse?
Yes. If the defendant cannot come to the courthouse, the judge may hold the hearing where the defendant is located.
Is an interdiction hearing open to the public?
It can be closed for good cause, given the personal nature of the evidence typically involved.
Can the judge call witnesses that neither party called?
Yes, and the judge may also require the presence of the proposed curator at the hearing.
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 4547 Louisianainterdiction hearing rightsdefendant rights interdiction hearing Louisianaclosed interdiction hearing