Art. 2911 Retention of testaments

When someone dies and leaves a will, the court clerk keeps the original copy forever once that will has gone through probate or has been officially filed and approved. This means the actual paper document stays safely on file with the court permanently, not just for a few years.

If there are other wills that were also filed with the court (for example, if someone submitted more than one version), the clerk holds onto those originals too. But the clerk only keeps these other versions until the court makes a final decision about which will is the valid one. Once that decision is final, the rule about keeping everything forever only applies to the will that was actually approved.

This rule matters because it protects the will as important legal proof. Family members, heirs, or anyone with a legal interest in the estate can trust that the original document will be preserved and available if questions or disputes come up later, even years down the road.