Notice of Enrollment of Counsel - Louisiana District Court

NOTICE OF ENROLLMENT OF COUNSEL

Louisiana District Court -- Civil Proceedings

LOUISIANA PRACTICE NOTE: In Louisiana, attorneys do not file a "Notice of Appearance" in the common-law sense. Instead, counsel "enrolls" as attorney of record. Enrollment may be accomplished by (1) oral notice in open court when all parties or their counsel are present, or (2) filing a written Notice of Enrollment with the clerk of court pursuant to La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 853 and Louisiana District Court Rule 9.12. This template addresses written enrollment. For limited appearances, use the applicable Appendix Form 9.12A (family law) or 9.12B (non-family law).

1. CASE CAPTION

[________________________________] JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT

PARISH OF [________________________________]

STATE OF LOUISIANA

DIVISION "[____]"


NO. [________________________________]


[________________________________],
     Plaintiff(s) / Petitioner(s),

VERSUS

[________________________________],
     Defendant(s) / Respondent(s).

2. TITLE OF DOCUMENT

NOTICE OF ENROLLMENT OF COUNSEL FOR [________________________________]

(Filed Pursuant to La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 853 and Louisiana District Court Rule 9.12)

3. TYPE OF ENROLLMENT

Select the type of enrollment:

☐ Full Enrollment -- Undersigned counsel enrolls as counsel of record for all purposes in this matter.

☐ Limited Enrollment -- Undersigned counsel enrolls for a limited purpose pursuant to Louisiana District Court Rule 9.12 and La. Rules of Professional Conduct Rule 1.2(c). The scope of the limited enrollment is described in Section 11 below.

☐ Co-Counsel Enrollment -- Undersigned counsel enrolls as co-counsel alongside [________________________________], Louisiana Bar Roll No. [________________________________], who remains enrolled as lead counsel.

☐ Substitution of Counsel -- Undersigned counsel enrolls in substitution for [________________________________], Louisiana Bar Roll No. [________________________________], who has filed or is simultaneously filing a Motion to Withdraw pursuant to Louisiana District Court Rule 9.13.

4. ENROLLMENT STATEMENT

NOW INTO COURT, through undersigned counsel, comes [________________________________] ("Client"), who is the:

☐ Plaintiff / Petitioner
☐ Defendant / Respondent
☐ Intervenor
☐ Third-Party Plaintiff
☐ Third-Party Defendant
☐ Incidental Demandant
☐ Cross-Claimant
☐ Other: [________________________________]

in the above-captioned and numbered cause, and hereby gives notice that [________________________________] ("Enrolling Attorney"), Louisiana Bar Roll No. [________________________________], of [________________________________] ("Firm"), is enrolling as counsel of record for said Client.

Pursuant to La. Code Civ. Proc. arts. 853 and 1313, counsel requests that all notices, pleadings, orders, judgments, and other filings in this matter be served upon the undersigned at the addresses provided below.

5. ATTORNEY INFORMATION

6. SERVICE ELECTION

Pursuant to La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 1313, the undersigned elects the following method(s) of service:

☐ Electronic Service via Louisiana E-Filing System -- The undersigned consents to electronic service through the applicable Louisiana e-filing portal.

E-Service Email: [________________________________]

☐ U.S. Mail -- Service by first-class mail to the address listed above.

☐ Facsimile -- Service by facsimile to: ([____]) [____]-[________]

☐ Email (by written consent) -- Service by email to: [________________________________]

☐ Hand Delivery / Personal Service

NOTE: Under La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 1313, service of pleadings subsequent to the original petition may be made by delivering a copy to the attorney of record, by mailing a copy to the attorney's last known address, by transmitting a copy by facsimile, by delivering a copy by electronic means to the attorney, or by depositing a copy with any overnight or courier service. Parishes using electronic filing may require electronic service.

7. CO-COUNSEL AND ADDITIONAL ATTORNEYS

A. Additional Attorneys at Same Firm

B. Pro Hac Vice Admission

☐ Not applicable.

☐ The undersigned is sponsoring the admission of out-of-state counsel pro hac vice pursuant to Louisiana Supreme Court Rule XVII.

REQUIREMENT: Under Louisiana Supreme Court Rule XVII, Section 13, an out-of-state attorney must file a verified application for pro hac vice admission and associate with a Louisiana-admitted attorney who is responsible for the conduct of the case.

8. ADDITIONAL PARTIES REPRESENTED

If counsel represents multiple parties in this action:

9. CASE INFORMATION

A. Nature of Proceedings

☐ Ordinary Proceeding (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 851 et seq.)
☐ Summary Proceeding (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 2591 et seq.)
☐ Executory Proceeding (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 2631 et seq.)
☐ Succession Proceeding (La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 2811 et seq.)
☐ Concursus Proceeding
☐ Class Action
☐ Other: [________________________________]

B. Subject Matter

☐ Contract / Obligation
☐ Tort / Delictual Action
☐ Property / Real Rights
☐ Family Law / Domestic
☐ Succession / Probate
☐ Workers' Compensation
☐ Insurance Coverage Dispute
☐ Administrative / Governmental
☐ Commercial / Business
☐ Other: [________________________________]

C. Jury Demand

☐ A jury trial has been or will be requested pursuant to La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 1731 et seq.
☐ Non-jury proceeding.
☐ Jury demand is reserved at this time.

10. SPECIAL DESIGNATIONS AND LOCAL RULES

Check all applicable items:

☐ This case is assigned to Division "[____]" of the [________________________________] Judicial District Court.

☐ This case is subject to local rules of the [________________________________] Judicial District requiring specific filing or service procedures.

☐ Courtesy copies of filings are required for the division judge. (Common in Orleans Parish, East Baton Rouge Parish, and other high-volume courts.)

☐ This case involves a medical malpractice claim that has been or must be submitted to a Medical Review Panel under La. R.S. 40:1231.8 before suit may be filed.

☐ This case involves a mass tort designated by the Louisiana Supreme Court or the Judicial Council.

☐ This case involves personal injury claims subject to the Louisiana Direct Action Statute, La. R.S. 22:1269.

☐ This case is subject to mandatory mediation under local court rules.

☐ Other: [________________________________]

11. LIMITED ENROLLMENT -- SCOPE AND TERMS

Complete this section only if a Limited Enrollment is being entered under Louisiana District Court Rule 9.12 and La. Rules of Professional Conduct Rule 1.2(c).

A. Scope of Limited Representation

The undersigned attorney's enrollment is limited to the following:

☐ Representation at a specific hearing or proceeding on [__/__/____]

☐ Preparation and filing of the following specific pleading(s) or document(s): [________________________________]

☐ Representation through disposition of the following exception(s) or motion(s): [________________________________]

☐ Mediation, settlement conference, or negotiation only

☐ Discovery matters only

☐ Trial representation only

☐ Other limited scope: [________________________________]

B. Client Consent

Pursuant to Louisiana District Court Rule 9.12, this Notice of Limited Enrollment bears the signatures of both the enrolling attorney and the client (unless the client is unavailable to sign at the time of filing, in which case the attorney shall certify that the client has provided informed consent to the limited scope).

The applicable Appendix Form has been completed:

☐ Appendix Form 9.12A (Family Law Limited Appearance)
☐ Appendix Form 9.12B (Non-Family Law Limited Appearance)

C. Termination of Limited Enrollment

This limited enrollment shall terminate upon the earliest of:

• Completion of the limited services described above;
• Filing of a Motion to Withdraw upon completion of limited services, with certification that the agreed-upon services have been completed and that all resulting judgments or orders have been submitted as required;
• Entry of a court order terminating the limited enrollment.

12. VERIFICATION AND SIGNATURES

A. Attorney Signature

Respectfully submitted,

[________________________________]
(Law Firm Name)


By: ________________________________________
    [________________________________]
    Louisiana Bar Roll No. [________________________________]
    [________________________________]
    [________________________________], Louisiana [________]
    Telephone: (____) ____-________
    Facsimile: (____) ____-________
    Email: [________________________________]

    Counsel for [________________________________]

Dated: [__/__/____]

B. Client Signature (Required for Limited Enrollment per Rule 9.12)

For limited enrollments, the client's signature is required unless the client is unavailable, in which case the attorney must certify informed consent.

________________________________________
[________________________________]
Client

Date: [__/__/____]

☐ Client is unavailable to sign. The undersigned attorney certifies that the client has been fully informed of and consents to the limited scope of representation described above.

13. CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that on this [____] day of [________________________________], [________], a copy of the foregoing Notice of Enrollment of Counsel was served upon all enrolled counsel of record and/or self-represented parties by the method(s) indicated below, in accordance with La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 1313:

☐ Electronic Filing System -- served electronically through the Louisiana e-filing portal.

☐ U.S. Mail -- deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid.

☐ Facsimile -- transmitted by facsimile.

☐ Hand Delivery -- personally delivered.

☐ Email -- transmitted by email pursuant to consent of the recipient.

☐ Overnight / Courier Service -- deposited with [________________________________].

________________________________________
[________________________________]
Louisiana Bar Roll No. [________________________________]

PRACTICE TIPS AND GUIDANCE

Louisiana-Specific Terminology

1. Enrollment vs. Appearance. Louisiana uses "enrollment" rather than "appearance" for counsel of record. This reflects Louisiana's civil law tradition. The functional equivalent is the same: the attorney becomes counsel of record and is entitled to receive all notices and filings.

2. "Now Into Court." The traditional Louisiana preamble is "NOW INTO COURT, through undersigned counsel, comes [party]." While not legally required, this language is customary and expected in Louisiana pleadings.

3. Parish, Not County. Louisiana uses "parish" rather than "county" as its primary political subdivision. The caption should reference the parish, not the county.

Enrollment Procedures

4. Oral Enrollment. Under Louisiana District Court Rule 9.12, an attorney may enroll by oral notice in open court when all parties or their counsel are present. The clerk should note the enrollment on the record. This template addresses written enrollment only.

5. Written Enrollment. Written enrollment is accomplished by filing a Notice of Enrollment with the clerk of court, with copies served on all enrolled counsel or self-represented parties under La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 1313.

6. Limited Enrollment Forms. For limited scope representation, Louisiana District Court Rule 9.12 requires use of the applicable Appendix Form: 9.12A for family law matters, 9.12B for all other civil matters. These forms require both the attorney's and client's signatures.

E-Filing

7. Parish-Specific Systems. Louisiana does not have a single statewide e-filing system. Various parishes use different e-filing platforms. Confirm the applicable e-filing system for the specific judicial district before filing. Common platforms include Odyssey File & Serve and One Legal.

8. Courtesy Copies. Orleans Parish, East Baton Rouge Parish, and other high-volume courts frequently require courtesy copies for the assigned division judge. Consult local rules and chambers preferences.

Withdrawal of Counsel

9. Motion Required. Withdrawal of enrollment requires filing a Motion to Withdraw under Louisiana District Court Rule 9.13 and obtaining court approval. The motion must include proof that the client has been notified and must state the reason for withdrawal.

10. Limited Enrollment Withdrawal. When withdrawing upon completion of a limited enrollment, the motion must include a certification by the withdrawing attorney that (a) the agreed-upon limited services have been completed and (b) all resulting judgments or orders have been submitted as ordered by the court.

11. Substitution. For substitution of counsel, file a Motion to Enroll/Substitute with the consent of the client and, where practical, the consent of prior counsel. Some courts may handle enrollment and withdrawal as separate filings or as a combined motion.

Pro Hac Vice

12. Louisiana Supreme Court Rule XVII. Out-of-state attorneys must comply with Rule XVII, Section 13, which requires a verified application, association with Louisiana-admitted counsel, and payment of the applicable fee. The sponsoring Louisiana attorney must actively participate in the case.

Special Considerations

13. Medical Malpractice Cases. Before enrolling in a medical malpractice case, confirm that a Medical Review Panel complaint has been filed under La. R.S. 40:1231.8. Suit cannot be filed in district court until the panel has rendered its opinion (or the statutory time period has expired).

14. Direct Action Statute. In cases involving insurance coverage, Louisiana's Direct Action Statute (La. R.S. 22:1269) allows plaintiffs to sue the insurer directly. When enrolling as counsel for an insurer, note this statutory framework.

15. Certified Mail Receipts. When serving enrollment notices by mail, retain certified mail receipts or other confirmation of service for compliance with La. Code Civ. Proc. arts. 1313-1314.

Record Retention

16. File Copy. Maintain a file-stamped copy of the Notice of Enrollment or electronic filing confirmation. Under Louisiana Rules of Professional Conduct, maintain client files for a minimum of five years after the conclusion of the representation.

SOURCES AND REFERENCES

• Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure: https://law.justia.com/codes/louisiana/code-of-civil-procedure/
• Louisiana District Court Rules (Title II): https://www.lasc.org/District_Court_Rules?p=TitleII
• Louisiana District Court Rules (Full Text): https://www.lasc.org/rules/dist.ct/Title_II.pdf
• Louisiana Rules on Limited Scope Representation: https://www.lsba.org/documents/ATJCommission/LSRRules.pdf
• Louisiana Supreme Court Rule XVII (Admission): https://www.lasc.org/rules/supreme/RuleXVII.asp
• Louisiana State Bar Association: https://www.lsba.org