HB 142: CIVIL/PROCEDURE: Provides for the continuous revision of the Code of Civil Procedure - Louisiana

Senate Floor Bureau Note, #2716, Miller, G., Adopted → HB142 Act · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was renumbered from a Senate Floor Amendment to an Enrolled Act and expanded its scope to include new provisions on motions to quash, trial notices, default judgments, and appeal procedures. The substantive policy change focuses on civil procedure by establishing a strict three-year timeline for abandoning legal actions and creating a formal process for courts to dismiss cases where no steps have been taken in that period.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from a narrow focus on changing specific phrasing ('in accordance with' to 'pursuant to') to a comprehensive overhaul of civil procedure articles regarding case abandonment, discovery, and judgment enforcement.

TIMELINE

Established a mandatory three-year period after which a legal action is automatically considered abandoned if no prosecution or defense steps are taken.

REQUIREMENT

Created a formal mechanism requiring an ex parte motion and affidavit to prove abandonment before a court can dismiss a case.

ENFORCEMENT

Added specific rules for serving dismissal orders and setting strict deadlines (30 days) for defendants to challenge the dismissal.

TECHNICAL

Changed the legislative text from 'in accordance with' to 'pursuant to' in several sections and updated the bill status to 'Enrolled'.

HB142 Original → Senate Floor Bureau Note, #2716, Miller, G., Adopted · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to clarify legal definitions regarding different types of court judgments and to standardize the language used when referencing other legal articles. The changes ensure that the distinction between 'interlocutory' and 'final' judgments is clearer, which helps determine when a party can appeal a court decision. Additionally, the text was updated to replace the phrase 'in accordance with' with 'pursuant to' for consistency throughout the document.

DEFINITION

Revised the definition of 'interlocutory judgment' to explicitly state it determines preliminary matters rather than using ambiguous phrasing about determining merits.

Clarified the definition of 'final judgment' to state it determines the merits in whole.

TECHNICAL

Replaced the phrase 'in accordance with' with 'pursuant to' in multiple sections to improve legal consistency and readability.

HB142 Enrolled → HB142 Original · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was renumbered from 'Enrolled' to 'Original' and had several articles removed from its scope, specifically those regarding abandonment of lawsuits (Art. 561), written requests for trial notice (Art. 1572), and definitions of interlocutory judgments (Art. 1841). The remaining text largely retains the original provisions for protective orders and motions to quash, though the line numbers and formatting were adjusted to reflect the removal of the deleted sections.

Scope change

The bill's scope was significantly narrowed by removing three specific articles (561, 1572, and 1841) that previously covered lawsuit abandonment, trial notice requests, and judgment definitions. The bill now only addresses protective orders, motions to quash, and other procedural matters.

SCOPE

Removed Article 561, which previously defined how a lawsuit is considered abandoned after three years of inactivity and the process for dismissing such cases.

Removed Article 1572, which previously established the requirement for parties to submit a written request to receive notice of trial dates.

Removed Article 1841, which previously defined the differences between interlocutory and final judgments.

TECHNICAL

Changed the document header from 'ENROLLED' to 'ORIGINAL' and updated the page count from 14 to 7 to reflect the removal of the deleted articles.

HB142 Reengrossed → HB142 Enrolled · 2 edits · May 12, 2026

MINOR

This bill transitions the legislation from a draft version to its final enrolled form, confirming it will become law. The substantive content of the law remains focused on defining when a lawsuit is considered 'abandoned' due to inactivity. The text includes minor formatting adjustments and reorganization of clauses to align with the final legislative format, but the core rules regarding the three-year abandonment period and the process for dismissal remain consistent with the previous draft.

Scope change

The scope of the bill's applicability has not changed; it continues to govern the abandonment of civil actions in trial and appellate courts.

TECHNICAL

The document header was updated from 'REENGROSSED' to 'ENROLLED', indicating the bill has passed all legislative stages and is ready for signing into law.

Page numbering and internal clause numbering were adjusted to reflect the final version of the act.

HB142 Engrossed → HB142 Reengrossed · 1 edit · May 5, 2026

MINOR

The bill was reengrossed, meaning it has been passed again by the legislature after being amended. The text shows several instances where the status label changed from 'ENGROSSED' to 'REENGROSSED', indicating a procedural update rather than a change in the law's content. No substantive policy changes, such as new rules, funding, or eligibility criteria, are visible in the provided text.

TECHNICAL

The document status was updated from 'ENGROSSED' to 'REENGROSSED' in multiple locations, reflecting the bill's progression through the legislative process.

CIVIL/PROCEDURE: Provides for the continuous revision of the Code of Civil Procedure

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