Parental Rights (& Termination)

This guide explains how parental rights can be voluntarily or involuntarily terminated in Louisiana, who can file, what the legal standards are, and how termination relates to adoption, child support, domestic violence, and emancipation.

This guide explains how nonparents—like grandparents, stepparents, or close family friends—can ask for custody or visitation in Louisiana, including the legal steps, court process, and how decisions are made based on the child’s best interests.

This resource explains provisional custody by mandate in Louisiana and includes a form that lets a parent, tutor, or grandparent temporarily transfer custody of a child to someone else without going to court.