PROVISIONAL CUSTODY BY MANDATE

Provisional Custody by Mandate is a Louisiana instrument that allows parents of a minor child to authorize another person to provide for the care, custody and control of that minor.  Provisional Custody is used when a minor child will be spending an extended period of time with someone who is not his/her parent or legal guardian. The “Custodian” usually has the power to enroll the child in school, discipline the child, authorize medical care for the child, and perform any other acts necessary for the well-being of the child. The authority can be granted for a period of no greater than one year.  *Provisional Custody is different from full Legal Custody and Adoption, both of which are usually permanent and require a court proceeding.