Louisiana § RS 45:1455 - Substitution of affidavit for appearance and return; effect

§ RS 45:1455. Substitution of affidavit for appearance and return; effect

A.  When a subpoena is served on a news media organization or reporter as those terms are defined in R.S. 45:1451 or on any custodian of records, photographer, or other representative of a news media organization, in any judicial or administrative proceeding to which neither the news media organization nor any reporter, custodian of records, photographer, or other representative is a party, or in any legislative proceeding, it shall not be necessary for the news media organization, the reporter, the custodian of records, the photographer, or the representative thus subpoenaed to appear or to testify in response to the subpoena: (1) to confirm the circulation or the broadcast audience of the news media organization, or (2) to confirm the publication or broadcast of specified materials, if the reporter, custodian of records, photographer, or other representative of the news media organization delivers by registered mail or by hand, before or at the time specified in the subpoena, an affidavit in conformity with Subsection B of this Section together with any documents or records described in the subpoena to the clerk of the court or other tribunal, or, if there is no clerk, then to the court or other tribunal, or, with respect to a deposition subpoena, to the party requesting the issuance of the subpoena.

B.  An affidavit delivered pursuant to Subsection A of this Section shall state in substance each of the following:

(1)  The name of the proceeding and any docket number assigned to such proceeding as shown on the subpoena itself.

(2)  The name of the affiant and his business title or other description indicating his position or relationship to the party to whom the subpoena was issued if he is not the person to whom it was directed.

(3)  The dates of publication or broadcast records searched and the dates of publication or broadcast of the documents or records actually produced.

(4)  A statement that the documents or records produced were published or broadcast by the news media organization.

(5)  If requested, a statement summarizing the circulation or broadcast audience of the news media organization.

(6)  If requested, a statement describing the placement of an article within a publication.

(7)  An itemization of the costs of complying with the subpoena.

C.  An affidavit conforming to the requirements of Subsection B of this Section shall be received in evidence and shall be prima facie proof of its contents.  A copy of any document, or the text thereof, or of any record, including, without limitation, any article, photograph, or sound or video recording, identified in the affidavit and stated in the affidavit to have been published or broadcast shall be received in evidence and shall be prima facie proof of publication or broadcast as stated in the affidavit.

D.  This Section shall not affect the rights of parties to production of documents pursuant to the laws governing discovery or other laws pertaining thereto.

Acts 1987, No. 803, §1.