TITLE II

DEFINITIONS

Art. 5251.  Words and terms defined

Except where the context clearly indicates otherwise, as used in this Code:

(1)  "Absentee" means a person who is either a nonresident of this state, or a person who is domiciled in but has departed from this state, and who has not appointed an agent for the service of process in this state in the manner directed by law; or a person whose whereabouts are unknown, or who cannot be found and served after a diligent effort, though he may be domiciled or actually present in the state; or a person who may be dead, though the fact of his death is not known, and if dead his heirs are unknown.

(2)  "Agent for the service of process" means the agent designated by a person or by law to receive service of process in actions and proceedings brought against him in the courts in this state.

(3)  "City court" includes a municipal court which has civil jurisdiction.

(4)  "Competent court", or "court of competent jurisdiction", means a court which has jurisdiction over the subject matter of, and is the proper venue for, the action or proceeding.

(5)  "Corporation" includes a private corporation, domestic or foreign, a public corporation, and, unless another article in the same Chapter where the word is used indicates otherwise, a domestic, foreign, or alien insurance corporation.

(6)  "Foreign corporation" means a corporation organized and existing under the laws of another state or a possession of the United States, or of a foreign country.

(7)  "Insurance policy" includes all policies included within the definition in R.S. 22:46, and a life, or a health and accident policy, issued by a fraternal benefit society.

(8)  "Insurer" includes every person engaged in the business of making contracts of insurance as provided in R.S. 22:46, and a fraternal benefit society.

(9)  "Law" as used in the phrases "unless otherwise provided by law" or "except as otherwise provided by law" means an applicable provision of the constitution, a code, or a statute of Louisiana.

(10)  "Legal representative" includes an administrator, provisional administrator, administrator of a vacant succession, executor, dative testamentary executor, tutor, administrator of the estate of a minor child, curator, receiver, liquidator, trustee, and any officer appointed by a court to administer an estate under its jurisdiction.

(11)  "Nonresident" means an individual who is not domiciled in this state, a foreign corporation which is not licensed to do business in this state, or a partnership or unincorporated association organized and existing under the laws of another state or a possession of the United States, or of a foreign country and includes a limited liability company which is not organized under the laws of and is not then licensed to do business in this state.

(12)  "Person" includes an individual, partnership, unincorporated association of individuals, joint stock company, corporation, or limited liability company.

(13)  "Property" includes all classes of property recognized under the laws of this state:  movable or immovable, corporeal or incorporeal.

(14)  The term "succession representative" includes executor, independent executor, administrator, independent administrator, provisional administrator, together with their successors.  The inclusion of the terms "independent executor" and "independent administrator" within the definition of succession representative shall not be construed to subject such a succession representative to control of the court in probate matters with respect to the administration of a succession, except as expressly provided in Chapter 13 of Title III of Book VI.

Acts 1999, No. 145, §2; Acts 2001, No. 974, §1; Acts 2008, No. 415, §2, eff. Jan. 1, 2009.