Art. 3245.  Submission of formal proof of claim to suspend prescription

A.  A creditor may suspend the running of prescription against his claim for up to ten years:

(1)  By delivering personally or by certified or registered mail to the succession representative, or his attorney of record, a formal written proof of the claim.

(2)  By filing a formal written proof of the claim in the record of the succession proceeding, if the succession has been opened and no person has been appointed or confirmed as succession representative and no judgment of possession has been signed.

(3)  By filing a formal written proof of the claim in the mortgage records of the appropriate parish as provided in Article 2811, in the absence of a proceeding to open the succession.

B.  Such proof of claim shall be sworn to by the claimant and shall set forth:

(1)  The name and address of the creditor;

(2)  The amount of the claim, and a short statement of facts on which it is based; and

(3)  If the claim is secured, a description of the security and of any property affected thereby.

C.  If the claim is based on a written instrument, a copy thereof with all endorsements must be attached to the proof of the claim.  The original instrument must be exhibited to the succession representative on demand, unless it is lost or destroyed, in which case its loss or destruction must be stated in the claim.

D.  The submission of this formal proof of claim, even though it be rejected subsequently by the succession representative, shall suspend the running of prescription against the claim as long as the succession is under administration or, if the succession has been opened and no person has been appointed or confirmed as succession representative and no judgment of possession has been signed, submission of the formal proof of claim shall suspend the running of prescription against the claim as long as no judgment of possession has been signed.  In the absence of a proceeding to open the succession, submission of the formal proof of claim shall suspend the running of prescription against the claim for five years, commencing from the date of submission of the proof of claim.

Acts 1987, No. 693, §1; Acts 1993, No. 481, §1.