WomensLaw serves and supports all survivors.

Legal Information: Louisiana

Custody

Laws current as of November 18, 2025

Can a non-parent get custody?

In Louisiana, a non-parent can only get custody if the judge believes that:

  • neither parent can give the child a safe and stable home; and
  • giving joint custody to both parents or sole custody to either parent would cause serious (substantial) harm to the child.1

In that situation, the judge will give custody to another person who is able to provide a stable home for the child.1

1 La. Civ. Code Art. 133

Legal Information

© 2008–2025 WomensLaw.org is a project of the National Network to End Domestic Violence, Inc. All rights reserved. This website is funded in part through a grant from the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Neither the U.S. Department of Justice nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse, this website (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided). NNEDV is a 501©(3) non-profit organization; EIN 52-1973408.