An action against an individual who has changed his domicile from one parish to another may be brought in either parish for a period of one year from the date of the change, unless he has filed a declaration of intention to change his domicile, in the manner provided by law.
Art. 71.Action Against Individual Who Has Changed Domicile
Title I. Courts · Chapter 2. Venue · Amendment history unavailable · Last verified July 30, 2026
In one sentenceArticle 71 gives a plaintiff a one-year grace period to sue an individual who has changed domicile in either the old parish or the new one, unless that person filed a formal declaration of intent to change domicile.
Full Text of Art. 71
Plain-English Summary
Domicile can shift, and Article 71 keeps venue from becoming a moving target the moment it does. For one year after an individual changes domicile from one parish to another, a plaintiff may bring an action against that person in either the old parish or the new one. Without this rule, a defendant who relocated shortly before being sued could argue that the parish of the former domicile was never proper, even though the underlying facts of the dispute may have nothing to do with the move.
The one-year window has a single exception: if the person filed a declaration of intention to change domicile, in the manner Louisiana law provides for making that declaration official, the grace period does not apply. A formal declaration puts the change of domicile on record and fixes it as of that filing, so there is no ambiguity for a plaintiff to exploit and no need for the fallback rule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sue someone in their old parish after they have moved?
Yes, for up to one year after the change of domicile, under Article 71 — unless the person filed a formal declaration of intention to change domicile, in which case this one-year grace period does not apply.
What counts as a declaration of intention to change domicile?
It is a formal filing, made in the manner Louisiana law provides, that records a person's intent to establish a new domicile. Filing one removes the one-year grace period this article otherwise gives a plaintiff.
Why does this rule exist?
Without it, a defendant could defeat venue in a pending or soon-to-be-filed suit by relocating alone, forcing the plaintiff to re-litigate where the case belongs every time the defendant's residence changed.
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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