La. Stat. Ann. § R.S. 51:2612

Right to examine and copy evidence; summoning witnesses and documents and taking testimony; right to counsel; court aid; process; service and return; fees of witnesses

In Force
Verified 10/20/2026 · Next check 11/19/2026
effective 10/17/2026LouisianaFair Housing & Anti-Discrimination

Operative Text

La. Stat. Ann. § R.S. 51:2612
§2612. Right to examine and copy evidence; summoning witnesses and documents and taking testimony; right to counsel; court aid; process; service and return; fees of witnesses
A. In conducting an investigation, the section or its duly authorized employees shall have access at all reasonable times to premises, records, documents, individuals, and other evidence or possible sources of evidence and may examine, record, and copy such materials and take and record the testimony or statements of such persons as are reasonably necessary for the furtherance of the investigation. The section may issue interrogatories to a respondent to the same extent and subject to the same limitations as would apply if the interrogatories were issued or served in aid of a civil action in the state district courts for the district in which the investigation is taking place.
B. The section, on its own initiative, or on application of any party to the proceeding, may issue subpoenas compelling the attendance and testimony of witnesses or requiring the production of documents for examination or copying. Within five days after the service of a subpoena on any person, the person may petition the section to revoke, limit, or modify the subpoena. The section shall revoke, limit, or modify the subpoena if in its opinion the evidence required does not relate to unlawful practices covered by this Chapter, is not relevant to the complaint which is the subject matter of the investigation, does not describe with sufficient particularity the evidence that is subpoenaed, is unduly burdensome or oppressive, or for other good reason. Any member of the section or any agent designated by the section may administer oaths or affirmations, examine witnesses, and receive the evidence.
C. Witnesses summoned by subpoena of the section shall be entitled to the same witness and mileage fees as are witnesses in proceedings in state district courts. Fees payable to a witness summoned by a subpoena issued at the request of a party shall be paid by that party.
D. In case of contumacy or refusal to obey a subpoena, the section or other person at whose request it was issued may petition for its enforcement in the state district court for the district in which the person to whom the subpoena was addressed resides, was served, or transacts business.
E. Any person appearing before the section may be represented by counsel.
F. The district court, on application by the section or by the person subpoenaed, has jurisdiction to issue an order revoking, limiting, or modifying the subpoena or conditioning issuance of the subpoena on payment of costs or expenses incurred to comply with the subpoena, if in the court's opinion the evidence required does not relate to unlawful practices covered by this Chapter, is not relevant to the complaint which is the subject matter of the investigation, does not describe with sufficient particularity the evidence that is subpoenaed, is unduly burdensome or oppressive, or for other good reason.
G. Complaints, orders, and other process and papers of the section or the agent of the section may be served either personally or by certified mail or by commercial courier as defined in R.S. 13:3204(D), when the person to be served is located outside of this state. The verified return by the individual serving the complaints, orders, process, or papers, setting forth the manner of the service, is proof of service. The return post office receipt, if certified and mailed as provided in this Subsection, is proof of service.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

La. R.S. § 51:2612 establishes the investigative powers of Louisiana's civil rights enforcement section when looking into potential housing or other discrimination violations. Under this provision, the section may access premises and records, issue interrogatories, subpoena witnesses and documents, administer oaths, and serve process by personal delivery or certified mail. Individuals summoned are entitled to witness fees comparable to those in state district court proceedings, and anyone appearing before the section has the right to be represented by counsel.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 17, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Property owners and managers subject to an investigation under La. R.S. § 51:2612 should be aware that the enforcement section holds broad authority to access records, copy documents, and compel testimony through subpoenas. Operators who receive a subpoena generally have five days to petition the section to revoke, limit, or modify it if they believe it is overbroad, irrelevant, or unduly burdensome. Compliant operators typically maintain organized records and respond to official process in a timely manner, and they may retain counsel to represent them throughout any proceeding before the section.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

La. R.S. § 51:2612 supports tenants who file discrimination complaints by giving the enforcement section strong tools—including subpoenas, document requests, and sworn testimony—to gather evidence on their behalf. If you are a party to a proceeding, you may request that the section issue subpoenas, though you would be responsible for the associated witness fees. Tenants can consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney to understand how these investigative procedures may apply to a complaint and how to participate effectively in the process.

General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.

Generated October 17, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

Current
Oct 17, 2026
Click on timeline segments to view historical versions.

References Out

Rules and statutes cited by this regulation

La. R.S. 13:3204
Not yet ingested

References In

Rules and statutes that cite this regulation

La. R.S. 9:1149.2
La. R.S. 51:2605
La. R.S. 51:2614
La. R.S. 51:2611
La. R.S. 40:1285.6
La. R.S. 40:1285.7
La. R.S. 40:1285.9
La. R.S. 40:1285.7
La. R.S. 40:1285.4
La. R.S. 40:1285.6
La. R.S. 40:508
La. R.S. 40:526
La. R.S. 46:1952
La. R.S. 46:1952
La. R.S. 46:1952
La. R.S. 46:2253
La. R.S. 51:1405
La. R.S. 51:1405
La. R.S. 51:2238
La. R.S. 51:2611
La. R.S. 51:2606
La. R.S. 51:2605
La. R.S. 51:2606
La. R.S. 51:2604
La. R.S. 51:2606
La. R.S. 51:2610
La. R.S. 51:2611
La. R.S. 51:2614
La. R.S. 51:2611
La. R.S. 9:3251
La. R.S. 9:3252
La. R.S. 9:1149.2
La. R.S. 9:1149.2
La. R.S. 9:3259.1
La. R.S. 9:3251
La. R.S. 9:3261.1
La. R.S. 9:3251
La. R.S. 9:3261.2

Related Rules

§ 5.106
§ 5.106 Equal access in accordance with the individual's gender identity in community planning and development programs.
§ 5.109
§ 5.109 Equal participation of faith-based organizations in HUD programs and activities.
§ 2
Policies; recommendations

Source Information

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