Art. 637 Failure to appear as summoned

If someone is properly served with a summons and doesn't show up to court when they're supposed to, the judge can have that person picked up by law enforcement and brought to court right away.

This means ignoring a summons isn't a safe option. Being "properly served" means the person legally received notice of the court date, usually through official delivery of paperwork. Once that happens, the person is expected to appear. If they skip it, the court doesn't have to wait around or reschedule. Instead, it can issue an order that lets police or other authorities find the person and bring them to court immediately.

This rule gives courts a way to keep cases moving and make sure people don't avoid legal proceedings just by not showing up. It applies to situations covered under Louisiana's Children's Code, which usually deals with juvenile and family related court matters. If you receive a summons, the safest thing to do is show up on the date listed or contact the court if there's a real problem preventing you from attending.