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La. Rev. Stat. § 13:3666 (2026)

Compensation of expert witnesses; costs of medical reports and copies of hospital records; land surveyors

✓ current as of May 2026
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§3666.  Compensation of expert witnesses; costs of medical reports and copies of hospital records; land surveyors

A.  Witnesses called to testify in court only to an opinion founded on special study or experience in any branch of science, or to make scientific or professional examinations, and to state the results thereof, shall receive additional compensation, to be fixed by the court, with reference to the value of time employed and the degree of learning or skill required.

B.  The court shall determine the amount of the fees of said expert witnesses which are to be taxed as costs to be paid by the party cast in judgment either:

(1)  From the testimony of the expert relative to his time rendered and the cost of his services adduced upon the trial of the cause, outside the presence of the jury, the court shall determine the amount thereof and include same.

(2)  By rule to show cause brought by the party in whose favor a judgment is rendered against the party cast in judgment for the purpose of determining the amount of the expert fees to be paid by the party cast in judgment, which rule upon being made absolute by the trial court shall form a part of the final judgment in the cause.

C.  In either manner provided in Subsection B, the court shall also determine and tax as costs, to be paid by the party cast in judgment, the reasonable and necessary cost of medical reports and copies of hospital records.

D.  In all civil cases in which the trial court, on its own motion or on motion of a party, has appointed a person who is registered as a professional land surveyor, pursuant to R.S. 37:693(B)(4), to be called as an expert to assist it in the adjudication of any case in which professional land surveying skills may aid the court, the court shall make arrangements for the timely payment of reasonable and customary fees for the services sought to be rendered.

Amended by Acts 1960, No. 114, §1; Acts 1980, No. 618, §1; Acts 1986, No. 207, §1; Acts 1992, No. 369, §1.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 321 cases (9 in the last 5 years), 1952–2026 · leading case: Watters v. Dep't of Soc. Servs., 15 So. 3d 1128 (La. Ct. App. 2009).
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Watters v. Dep't of Soc. Servs., 15 So. 3d 1128 (La. Ct. App. 2009). · cites it 6× “R.S. 13:3666. The Code of Civil Procedure article 1920 provides that "[e]xcept as otherwise provided by law, the court may render judgment for costs, or any part thereof, against any party, as it may consider equitable.”
Butler v. Louisiana Mut. Med. Ins. Co., 195 So. 3d 570 (La. Ct. App. 2016). · cites it 8× “R.S. 13:3666 to argue, that compensation is authorized only for experts who testify at trial.”
Aucoin v. S. Quality Homes, LLC, 984 So. 2d 685 (La. 2008). · cites it 4× “R.S. 13:3666. Id. La. R.S. 13:3666 provides: A.”
Bd. of Supervisors of Louisiana State Univ. & Agric. & Mech. Coll. v. 1732 Canal Street, L.L.C., 133 So. 3d 109 (La. Ct. App. 2014). · cites it 6× “R.S. 13:3666, which covers expert witness fees.”
Suprun v. Louisiana Farm Bureau Mut. Ins., 40 So. 3d 261 (La. Ct. App. 2010). · cites it 4× “And, according to the offer of judgment, Suprun was entitled to have the trial court's subsequent award of "ledger court costs, and any other amounts, except judicial interest, which *267 may be awarded pursuant to statute or rule" added to the total damage award made in the…”
Two Canal Street Investors, Inc. v. New Orleans Bldg. Corp., 202 So. 3d 1003 (La. Ct. App. 2016). · cites it 3× “R.S. 13:3666; and (3) the trial court violated TCSI’s constitutional right of access to the courts by imposing a $750,000.”
Pelleteri v. Caspian Grp. Inc., 851 So. 2d 1230 (La. Ct. App. 2003). · cites it 3× “R.S. 13:3666(A) provides for the compensation of expert witnesses.”
Bourgeois v. Heritage Manor of Houma, 691 So. 2d 703 (La. Ct. App. 1997). · cites it 5× “Applicable Law Under LSA-R.S. 13:3666, LSA-R.S. 13:4533 and LSA-C.”
Ralph E. Chevalier, Cross-Appellee v. Reliance Ins. Co. of Illinois, Cross-Appellant, 953 F.2d 877 (5th Cir. 1992). · cites it 4× “R.S. 13:3666, under which Louisiana courts routinely allow additional compensation beyond the federal $30.”
Dakmak v. Baton Rouge City Police Dep't, 153 So. 3d 511 (La. Ct. App. 2014). · cites it 5× “R.S. 13:3666, the trial court has great discretion in awarding costs, including expert witness fees, deposition costs, exhibit costs, and related expenses.”
Cates v. Sears, Roebuck & Co., 928 F.2d 679 (5th Cir. 1991). · cites it 3× “R.S. 13:3666. 14 43 Whether the granting of such fees should be decided by resort to state or federal law is not so readily answered.”
Rivnor Props. v. Herbert O'Donnell, Inc., 633 So. 2d 735 (La. Ct. App. 1994). · cites it 3× “S. 13:3666(B), the court shall determine the amount of the fees of the expert witnesses either (1) from the testimony of the expert relative to his time rendered and the cost of his services adduced at the trial or (2) by rule to show cause brought by the party in whose favor a…”
Show all 321 citing cases →
La. Rev. Stat. § 13:3666(2): 1 case
Atain Speciality Ins. Co. v. Premier Performance Marine, LLC, 193 So. 3d 192 (La. Ct. App. 2016).
La. Rev. Stat. § 13:3666(A): 37 cases
Watters v. Dep't of Soc. Servs., 15 So. 3d 1128 (La. Ct. App. 2009). “R.S. 13:3666. The Code of Civil Procedure article 1920 provides that "[e]xcept as otherwise provided by law, the court may render judgment for costs, or any part thereof, against any party, as it may consider equitable.”
Pelleteri v. Caspian Grp. Inc., 851 So. 2d 1230 (La. Ct. App. 2003). “R.S. 13:3666(A) provides for the compensation of expert witnesses.”
Butler v. Louisiana Mut. Med. Ins. Co., 195 So. 3d 570 (La. Ct. App. 2016). “R.S. 13:3666 to argue, that compensation is authorized only for experts who testify at trial.”
Bd. of Supervisors of Louisiana State Univ. v. Boudreaux's Tire & Auto Repair, L.L.C., 133 So. 3d 1262 (La. Ct. App. 2014).
Ronald Adams Contractor, Inc. v. STATE, DEPT. OF TRANSP. & DEV., 464 So. 2d 1003 (La. Ct. App. 1985).
La. Rev. Stat. § 13:3666(B): 17 cases
Rivnor Props. v. Herbert O'Donnell, Inc., 633 So. 2d 735 (La. Ct. App. 1994). “S. 13:3666(B), the court shall determine the amount of the fees of the expert witnesses either (1) from the testimony of the expert relative to his time rendered and the cost of his services adduced at the trial or (2) by rule to show cause brought by the party in whose favor a…”
Pelleteri v. Caspian Grp. Inc., 851 So. 2d 1230 (La. Ct. App. 2003). “R.S. 13:3666(A) provides for the compensation of expert witnesses.”
Stonecipher v. Mitchell, 655 So. 2d 1381 (La. Ct. App. 1995).
Richard v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 702 So. 2d 79 (La. Ct. App. 1997).
Johnson v. Morehouse Gen. Hosp., 27 So. 3d 1085 (La. Ct. App. 2009).
La. Rev. Stat. § 13:3666(B)(1): 5 cases
Petersen v. State Farm Auto. Ins. Co., 543 So. 2d 109 (La. Ct. App. 1989).
Allen v. Roadway Exp., Inc., 728 So. 2d 1015 (La. Ct. App. 1999).
Bordelon v. Vulcan Materials Co., 454 So. 2d 168 (La. Ct. App. 1984).
Williams v. City of Baton Rouge, 715 So. 2d 15 (La. Ct. App. 1998).
Michelle Williams & Nicole Williams Gross v. CenterPoint Energy Resources Corp., & the City of Shreveport, Louisiana (La. Ct. App. 2021).
La. Rev. Stat. § 13:3666(B)(2): 4 cases
Suprun v. Louisiana Farm Bureau Mut. Ins., 40 So. 3d 261 (La. Ct. App. 2010). “And, according to the offer of judgment, Suprun was entitled to have the trial court's subsequent award of "ledger court costs, and any other amounts, except judicial interest, which *267 may be awarded pursuant to statute or rule" added to the total damage award made in the…”
Dakmak v. Baton Rouge City Police Dep't, 153 So. 3d 511 (La. Ct. App. 2014). “R.S. 13:3666, the trial court has great discretion in awarding costs, including expert witness fees, deposition costs, exhibit costs, and related expenses.”
Arnaud v. Scottsdale Ins. Co., 181 So. 3d 759 (La. Ct. App. 2015).
Ferguson v. HDE, Inc., 274 So. 2d 783 (La. Ct. App. 1973).
La. Rev. Stat. § 13:3666(C): 5 cases
Wainwright v. Moreno's, Inc., 602 So. 2d 734 (La. Ct. App. 1992).
Archie v. Bd. of Sup'rs of La. State Univ., 543 So. 2d 1348 (La. Ct. App. 1989).
Bridgewater v. Crown Zellerbach, 449 So. 2d 515 (La. Ct. App. 1984).
Simmons v. La. Health & Human Resources, 502 So. 2d 187 (La. Ct. App. 1987).
Creel v. Louisiana Pest Control Ins. Inc., 723 So. 2d 440 (La. Ct. App. 1998).
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