People and institutions acting in good-faith reliance on a military power of attorney are protected from liability if specified validity requirements are met.
§3885. Liability of person acting in good faith reliance upon power of attorney A. Any person, firm, corporation, financial institution, or other entity who acts in good faith reliance upon a military power of attorney is not liable to the principal or to any other person for so acting if all of the following requirements are satisfied: (1) The power of attorney is presented to the person by the attorney in fact named in the power of attorney. (2) The power of attorney appears on its face to be valid. (3) The power of attorney includes either: (a) A notary public's certificate of acknowledgment. (b) The signature of any person acting as notary, together with the title of that person's office, provided he is authorized to perform a notarial act pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 1044a. B. Nothing in this Section is intended to create an implication that a person is liable for acting in reliance upon a power of attorney under circumstances where the requirements of Subsection A are not satisfied. Nothing in this Section affects any immunity that may otherwise exist apart from this Section. C. A military power of attorney appears on its face to be valid if it contains the language provided by R.S. 9:3862, and all signature spaces thereon including those for the principal, notary public, and witnesses, where applicable, have been completed. D. Any banking institution or other third person acting in good faith may conclusively rely on the power apparently conferred under a military power of attorney executed in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter or military power of attorney as defined in 10 U.S.C. 1044b and all acts or transactions by any banking institution or other third person in reliance on such military power of attorney shall be valid, binding, and of full force and effect as entered into for any and all purposes. No cause of action shall lie against any banking institution or third person which relies in good faith on such military power of attorney, nor shall any transaction entered into by any person in reliance on a military power of attorney be subject to attack for any reason as a result of the reliance placed upon such military power of attorney, and the sole recourse by the principal shall be a claim for damages against the agent. Acts 1991 1st E.S., No. 5, §1, eff. April 17, 1991; Acts 1995, No. 1131, §1.