Art. 5053 Words and phrases

When you read the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure, words should be understood the way people normally use them in everyday language. You look at the surrounding text to figure out what a word or phrase means, rather than reading it in isolation.

There's also a key distinction to keep in mind. When a rule uses the word "shall," that means the action is required. There's no choice involved. But when a rule uses the word "may," that means the action is optional. A person or court has the choice to do it or not.

This matters because it helps you figure out whether something in the law is a strict requirement or just an option you can choose to use. Getting this right can affect how you handle deadlines, filings, and other steps in a case.