Art. 1732. Limitation upon jury trials

A trial by jury shall not be available in:

(1) A suit where the amount of no individual petitioner's cause of action exceeds fifty thousand dollars exclusive of interest and costs, except as follows:

(a) If an individual petitioner stipulates or otherwise judicially admits sixty days or more prior to trial that the amount of the individual petitioner's cause of action does not exceed fifty thousand dollars exclusive of interest and costs, a defendant shall not be entitled to a trial by jury.

(b) If an individual petitioner stipulates or otherwise judicially admits for the first time less than sixty days prior to trial that the amount of the individual petitioner's cause of action does not exceed fifty thousand dollars exclusive of interest and costs, any other party may retain the right to a trial by jury if that party is entitled to a trial by jury pursuant to this Article and has otherwise complied with the procedural requirements for obtaining a trial by jury.

(c) Notwithstanding Subsubparagraphs (a) and (b) of this Subparagraph, if, as a result of a compromise or dismissal of one or more claims or parties which occurs less than sixty days prior to trial, an individual petitioner stipulates or otherwise judicially admits that the amount of the individual petitioner's cause of action does not exceed fifty thousand dollars exclusive of interest and costs, a defendant shall not be entitled to a trial by jury.

(2) A suit on an unconditional obligation to pay a specific sum of money, unless the defense thereto is forgery, fraud, error, want, or failure of consideration.

(3) A summary, executory, probate, partition, mandamus, habeas corpus, quo warranto, injunction, concursus, workers' compensation, emancipation, tutorship, interdiction, curatorship, filiation, annulment of marriage, or divorce proceeding.

(4) A proceeding to determine custody, visitation, alimony, or child support.

(5) A proceeding to review an action by an administrative or municipal body.

(6) All cases where a jury trial is specifically denied by law.

Acts 1983, No. 534, §1. Amended by Acts 1984, No. 301, §1; Acts 1987, No. 766, §1; Acts 1988, No. 147, §1; Acts 1989, No. 107, §1; Acts 1990, No. 361, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1991; Acts 1993, No. 661, §1; Acts 1999, No. 1363, §1; Acts 2004, No. 26, §2; Acts 2013, No. 391, §1.