§5503. Affidavit of identity; content; effect; penalty for falsifying

A. If the judgment creditor cannot be located or does not comply with R.S. 9:5501, any person may execute before a notary public or any authorized employee of the clerk's office on a form provided by the clerk of court and file for record in the office of clerk of court or the office of the recorder of mortgages an affidavit of identity as set forth in R.S. 9:5501.1 to establish that he is not the same person identified as the debtor in one or more recorded judgments, liens, privileges, mortgages, or other such documents.

B. The affiant shall mail a copy of the affidavit to each judgment creditor listed in the affidavit at his last known address by registered mail. The clerk of court or recorder of mortgages shall not record the affidavit unless the affiant can show proof of mailing.

C. The intentional falsification of information by the affiant in an affidavit of identity filed in the office of a recorder of mortgages constitutes the crime of injuring public records. The affiant shall also be liable for any damages, attorney fees, and expenses occasioned by a fraudulently executed affidavit of identity.

D. The procedure established in this Section for executing the affidavit of identity shall not be the exclusive means of clarifying that an individual with a name similar to that of a judgment debtor is not the same person as such judgment debtor.

E. The clerk of court or recorder of mortgages may not charge more than eighteen dollars to prepare and record the first page of the affidavit filed by a single affiant including the acknowledgment returned by those judgment creditors designated by the affiant, executed pursuant to R.S. 9:5501 or this Section, plus six dollars for each subsequent page, and three dollars for each name after the first name that is required to be indexed.

Acts 1991, No. 559, §1; Acts 1997, No. 1200, §1.