Book II. Ordinary Proceedings · Title I. Pleading · Chapter 2. Petition · Last amended 2022 · Last verified July 30, 2026
In one sentenceArticle 891 sets the petition's required content in an ordinary proceeding: compliance with the Code's caption, form, and signing rules, the parties' names and domiciles, a short, clear, and concise statement of the claims and material facts, a physical and email address for service, and a concluding prayer for relief, which may be pled in the alternative.
Full Text of Art. 891
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A. The petition shall comply with Articles 853, 854, and 863, and, whenever applicable, with Articles 855 through 861. It shall set forth the name, surname, and domicile of the parties; shall contain a short, clear, and concise statement of all causes of action arising out of, and of the material facts of, the transaction or occurrence that is the subject matter of the litigation; shall designate a physical address, not a post office box, and an email address for receipt of service of all items involving the litigation; and shall conclude with a prayer for judgment for the relief sought. Relief may be prayed for in the alternative.
B. For petitions involving domestic violence brought pursuant to R.S.46:2131 et seq., R.S.9:361 et seq., Children's Code Article 1564 et seq., or Code of Civil Procedure Article 3601 et seq., the address and parish of the residence of each petitioner and each person on whose behalf the petition is filed may remain confidential with the court.
The petition is the document that starts an ordinary proceeding. Article 891 pulls together everything the preceding chapter required — Article 853's caption rules, Article 854's simple-and-direct form, Article 863's signing requirements, and Articles 855 through 861's special pleading rules where they apply — and adds content requirements specific to the petition itself.
A petition has to set forth the name, surname, and domicile of the parties; a short, clear, and concise statement of every cause of action and the material facts of the transaction or occurrence at the heart of the case, echoing Article 854's simple-concise-direct standard; a physical address, not a post office box, and an email address where the party can be served with everything involving the litigation; and a closing prayer for judgment for the relief sought, which the plaintiff may state in the alternative under Article 892.
Article 891 also carries a safety provision. For petitions brought under Louisiana's domestic-violence and protective-order statutes, the residence address and parish of the petitioner, and of anyone else the petition protects, may be kept confidential with the court rather than placed on the public record.
Frequently Asked Questions
What has to be included in a Louisiana petition?
The parties' names and domiciles, a short, clear, and concise statement of the causes of action and material facts, a physical and email address for service, and a concluding prayer for relief.
Can I list a P.O. box as my address on a petition?
No. Article 891 requires a physical address, not a post office box, along with an email address for service.
Can I ask for relief in the alternative in my petition?
Yes. Article 891 expressly allows relief to be prayed for in the alternative, consistent with Article 892's alternative-pleading rule.
Is my address kept private if I'm filing a domestic violence petition?
It can be. Article 891 allows the residence address and parish of a petitioner, and of anyone the petition protects, to remain confidential with the court in qualifying domestic-violence and protective-order cases.
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
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