Art. 893. Pleading of damages

A.(1) No specific monetary amount of damages shall be included in the allegations or prayer for relief of any original, amended, or incidental demand. The prayer for relief shall be for such damages as are reasonable in the premises except that if a specific amount of damages is necessary to establish the jurisdiction of the court, the right to a jury trial, the lack of jurisdiction of federal courts due to insufficiency of damages, or for other purposes, a general allegation that the claim exceeds or is less than the requisite amount is required. By interrogatory, an opposing party may seek specification of the amount sought as damages, and the response may thereafter be supplemented as appropriate.

(2) If a petition is filed in violation of this Article, the claim for a specific monetary amount of damages shall be stricken upon the motion of an opposing party and the court may award attorney's fees and costs against the party who filed the petition.

B. The provisions of Paragraph A shall not be applicable to a suit on a conventional obligation, promissory note, open account, or other negotiable instrument, for alimony or child support, on a tax claim, or in a garnishment proceeding.

C. The prohibitions in Paragraph A apply only to an original, amended, or incidental demand. Evidence at trial or hearing of a specific monetary amount of damages shall be adduced in accordance with the Louisiana Code of Evidence or other applicable law.

Added by Acts 1988, No. 443, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1989. Amended by Acts 1989, No. 724, §1, eff. July 8, 1989; Acts 1992, No. 332, §1; Acts 2004, No. 334, §1.