Louisiana Children’s Code 620 – Oral instanter orders
Terms Used In Louisiana Children's Code 620
- Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
- Caretaker: means any person legally obligated to provide or secure adequate care for a child, including a parent, tutor, guardian, legal custodian, foster home parent, an employee or an operator of an early learning center as defined in La. See Louisiana Children's Code 603
- Child: means a person under eighteen years of age who, prior to juvenile proceedings, has not been judicially emancipated under Civil Code Article 366 or emancipated by marriage under Civil Code Article 367. See Louisiana Children's Code 603
- Department: means the Department of Children and Family Services. See Louisiana Children's Code 603
- Removal: means placing a child in the custody of the state or with someone other than the parent or caretaker during or after the course of an investigation of abuse and neglect to secure the child's health, welfare, and safety. See Louisiana Children's Code 603
- Safety plan: means a plan for the purpose of assuring a child's health, welfare, and safety by imposing conditions for the child to safely remain in the home, or, after a child has been removed from the home, for the continued placement of the child with a custodian and terms for contact between the child and the child's parents or other persons. See Louisiana Children's Code 603
A. In exceptional circumstances, the facts supporting the issuance of an instanter order and the exceptional circumstances may be relayed orally, including telephonically, to the judge, and the order directing that a child be taken into custody or, upon request by the state, that an instanter safety plan order be implemented may be issued orally.
B. An affidavit containing the information previously relayed orally, including telephonically, shall be filed with the clerk of the court within twenty-four hours, and a written order shall be issued. The written order shall include the court’s findings of fact supporting the necessity for the child’s removal or the implementation of an instanter safety plan order and, if the child has been removed, shall determine the child’s custodian in accordance with Article 619.
C. The affidavit filed after the child has been placed shall indicate whether the child was released to the child’s parents or remains removed.
D. The department shall promptly notify the parents or caretaker of the nature of the allegations and, if the child is not released, of the time and place of the continued custody hearing.
E. If the court ordered the implementation of a safety plan, the department shall promptly notify the parents or caretaker of the nature of the allegations, the conditions of the safety plan, and the time and place of a continued safety plan order hearing.
Acts 1991, No. 235, §6, eff. Jan. 1, 1992; Acts 1993, No. 634, §1, eff. June 15, 1993; Acts 2001, No. 567, §1; Acts 2005, No. 148, §1; Acts 2006, No. 278, §1; Acts 2014, No. 486, §1; Acts 2022, No. 272, §1.