SELF-REPRESENTED LITIGANT PETITION FOR CUSTODY, VISITATION, and/or CHILD SUPPORT - How to Complete and File

Sep 15, 2026

Uploaded by Dipper

Self-represented litigant instructions for Louisiana parents seeking to establish child custody, visitation, and/or child support. Forms may be used only by legal parents recognized by law and when the child has lived in Louisiana long enough or there is no conflicting prior court order in Louisiana or elsewhere. Guidance covers determining proper filing parish, requesting custody decision-making recommendations, addressing service of process options, handling filing fees and in forma pauperis requests, and preparing and notarizing the petition before filing.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryForms

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time4 min

AccessFree to download

Who Can Use These Forms?

Before You Start

How to Complete These Forms

Decide Where You Will File

Think About What You Are Asking the Court to Do

Think About How You Will Serve the Other Party

Figure Out Your Case Filing Fees

Get Your Petition Ready to File

File Your Petition with the Court

SELF-REPRESENTED LITIGANT PETITION FOR CUSTODY, VISITATION, and/or CHILD SUPPORT WHO CAN USE THESE FORMS? You can only use these forms if ALL of these are true: 􀁸 You are the legal parent of the child(ren) or are recognized by law as the father having aright to pursue custody, visitation, and/or support; 􀁸 The child(ren) in this case have lived in Louisiana for at least 6 months (or their whole lives, if under 6 months old); or 􀁸 There is no earlier court order about custody, child protection, or adoption order for the child(ren) in this case in Louisiana or any other state. BEFORE YOU START Please note that these forms are for establishing child custody, visitation, and/or support only, and they can only be used by the legal parents of the child(ren). A child’s legal parents include the mother (who gave birth to the child) and the father who was either (1) married to the mother at the time of birth or (2) has established his “paternity” in court using or (3) filed in Court an authentic “Acknowledgment of Paternity”after the child was born. Being listed on the child’s birth certificate is not enough. These forms do not cover establishing who is a legal parent. You will be filing your custody case as a “self-represented litigant.” That means you are moving your case forward without a lawyer. As the person suing for custody, visitation, and/or support, you will be known as the Petitioner and the child(ren)’s other parent will be known as the Defendant. All the forms you need to file are attached or referenced in these instructions. To learn more about the child custody process, visit [LouisianaLegalNavigator.org](LouisianaLegalNavigator.org) or [LouisianaLawHelp.org](LouisianaLawHelp.org. To find help)[. To find help](LouisianaLawHelp.org. To find help), [visit](visit bit.ly/legal-referrals or)[ ](visit bit.ly/legal-referrals or)[bit.ly/legal-referrals](visit bit.ly/legal-referrals or)[ or](visit bit.ly/legal-referrals or)[ ](visit bit.ly/legal-referrals or)[https://www.LSBA.org/goto/FindLegalHelp](https://www.LSBA.org/goto/FindLegalHelp). HOW TO COMPLETE THESE FORMS: Read instructions all the way through before starting. 1. Decide where you will file your case. If you file your case in the wrong court, the court might reject your case and you might lose your filing fees. You can only file this case in: 􀁸 The parish in which you are “domiciled” (which means where you live and is your permanent/legal home); OR 􀁸 The parish in which the child(ren)’s other parent is domiciled; OR 􀁸 The parish in which you and the child(ren)’s other parent were last domiciled together asa married couple. The parish you choose will be written at the top of each document you fill out (more instructions later) . 2. Think about what you are asking the court to do. When you are asking the court for custody, you need to recommend: (1) what type of custody you want, and (2) who should have the final decision-making authority for major decisions concerning the child(ren). If you and the other party agree about the proposed custody arrangement, the Court can approve custody as a “Consent Judgment.” Note that if you seek sole custody or seek to restrict visitation of the other parent, you will have a higher “burden of proof” and must have strong evidence to show why that custody arrangement is necessary. Learn more about custody at [www.bit.ly/la-custody](www.bit.ly/la-custody). This form is provided as a courtesy the Louisiana Access to Justice Commission. No enrollment of counsel is expressed or implied. Every factual situation is different, and all litigants are encouraged to explore options [for representation at www.LSBA.org/goto/FindLegalHelp](for representation at www.LSBA.org/goto/FindLegalHelp). Revised November 2022 3. Think about how you will deliver (or “serve”) your court case on the other party. If you and the child(ren)’s other parent agree about custody and are willing to speak about the process, you can

FAQs

Who is allowed to use these custody, visitation, and child support forms?

Only legal parents recognized by law may use them, and the child must have lived in Louisiana for at least 6 months (or the whole life if under 6 months) or there must be no earlier conflicting court orders in Louisiana or any other state.

What does “self-represented litigant” mean in this process?

It means you move your case forward without a lawyer. The person filing is the Petitioner, and the other parent is the Defendant.

How do these instructions advise choosing the correct parish to file in?

File in the parish where you are domiciled, where the other parent is domiciled, or where you and the other parent were last domiciled together as a married couple.

Sep 15, 2026

Uploaded by Dipper