Custody

Family violence is committed by the other parent against you or any of the children in the family. Louisiana law defines family violence to include, but not be limited to, the following acts:

• physical abuse;
• sexual abuse; and
• any offense listed in the Criminal Code of Louisiana, except negligent injuring and defamation.¹

Family violence does not include reasonable acts of self-defense if you are trying to protect yourself or your child from the other parent.¹

A “history of family violence” can be:

• multiple incidents of family violence; or 
• a single incident of family violence that caused serious physical injury.²

¹ La. Rev. Stat. § 9:362(4)
² La. Rev. Stat. § 9:364(A)