Louisiana judicial news
From Judgepedia
News about or affecting the judiciary in Louisiana.
Federal judge nominated for Louisiana
Louisiana: President Obama has nominated Elizabeth Erny Foote for federal judgeship in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana. Foote, if confirmed, will replace Tucker Melancon, who retired in February of 2009.[1]
Controversial Louisiana court ruling on timber theft
Monroe, Louisiana: The Louisiana 2nd Circuit Court of Appeal delivered a recent ruling that says that co-owners and heirs of land are not affected by State law that says "that anyone who takes trees from someone else's land can be made to pay triple damages and attorney's fees." The ruling says that those exempt may collect only the fair market value of any stolen timber. Elsewhere, the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the opposite in a similar case.[1]
Louisiana court suspends attorney
Lafayette, Louisiana: The Louisiana Supreme Court has ordered a suspension, that went into effect January 12, 2010, of attorney Paul Joseph McMahon III. McMahon was suspended for allegedly failing to represent his clients in someway and that it appears that he has abandoned his law practice without notifying anyone.[1]
Louisiana Supreme Court bans former judge from practicing law
New Orleans, Louisiana: The Louisiana Supreme Court not only accepted a resignation from former St. Bernard Parish Judge Wayne G. Cresap, it also banned him from ever practicing law again. In October of 2009, Cresap pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud in which he received roughly $80,000 in illegal payments. [1]
New judge appointed to Louisiana appellate court
New Orleans, Louisiana: The Louisiana Supreme Court appointed a former lawyer, David Chatelain to fill the seat in the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal left vacant by the death of Judge Michael Sullivan. Chatelain was appointed on Wednesday, January 6 and will serve until July 4th of 2010 or until the vacancy is filled.[1]
Former judge disbarred by Louisiana Supreme Court
Louisiana: The Louisiana Supreme Court has disbarred C. Hunter King, a former civil district judge in New Orleans. The former judge was disbarred after being removed from office for forcing staff members to campaign for him and then lying about it.[1]
Impeachment proceedings against Thomas Porteous to continue
Louisiana: Despite an attempt to delay proceedings by Thomas Porteous, federal judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana, his impeachment hearings from the House Judiciary Committee will continue. Porteous is charged with presiding over a trial in which the lawyers involved had given him money and is accused of filing for bankruptcy under a false name, among other things. [1]
Porteous sued the House Judiciary Committee to delay impeachment proceedings planned against him, claiming that his Fifth Amendment rights were violated. The judge said in his lawsuit that the task force in charge of planning his impeachment failed to grant him immunity in giving testimony to the task force. [2] Judge Richard Leon, who heard the temporary restraining order case, refused to delay the opening of congressional hearings. Leon counseled attorneys for Porteous that they may still file for an injunction later in the year, but that their chances for success would be a "very, very long shot". [3]
Clark defeats Faircloth for seat on Louisiana Supreme Court
Louisiana: In an election held on Saturday, October 17, 4th Judicial District Judge Marcus Clark defeated Jimmy Faircloth for a seat on the Louisiana Supreme Court.[1] Clark will replace Chet Traylor on the 7-person court. Faircloth had been endorsed by Gov. Bobby Jindal. Louisiana's judicial elections are partisan, and both candidates were Republican.
With 100% of the results counted:
- Marcus Clark: 28,521 votes (52.8%)
- Jimmy Faircloth: 25,945 votes (47.2%)
Louisiana is divided into 64 parishes. 20 of those parishes make up the 4th Supreme Court district, and it has 693 precincts.[2]
A majority of the sheriffs and district attorneys in the 4th Supreme Court district endorsed Clark, the eventual winner.[3]
The election campaign was marked by what some observers said was an unusual degree of negative advertising for a Louisiana Supreme Court election. Faircloth drew attention to a suspension that Clark received some years ago for "habitual delays in handing down legal decisions", with Clark accused Faircloth of being "a trail lawyer."[3]
Louisiana Supreme Court race candidates qualified
Louisiana: Two candidates for the open seat on the Louisiana Supreme Court have qualified for the race. Former executive counsel for Governor Bobby Jindal Jimmy Faircloth will be running against 4th District judge Marcus Clark.
The seat for the Fourth Supreme Court District of the court opened when justice Chet Traylor retired in May of 2009. The primary election is scheduled for October 17, 2009 and the general election, if runoffs are needed, is November 14th. [1]
Nominees for LA Supreme Court vacancy announced
Louisiana: Two nominees for the vacancy created on the Louisiana Supreme Court when Chet Traylor retired have been mentioned. Pineville attorney Jimmy Faircloth has announced that he will campaign for the seat against 4th District Judge Marcus Clark. Faircloth resigned his seat as Governor Bobby Jindal's executive counsel to enter the judicial race.
"Jimmy's an incredible lawyer and has been a wonderful asset to our office and the people of this great state," Jindal said Wednesday. "He will be missed." [1]
Click on the link for the full article.
Jefferson Parish district judge Martha Sassone eeks into runoff with Ellen Kovach
(October 7, 2008) Run-down of Jefferson Parish judicial contests.
KTBS-3, "Former judge Walker gets 10-year sentence for corruption", October 2, 2008
Caddo District judge Michael Walker was sentenced to ten years in prison on October 2, 2008; Walker's imprisonment was the result of having received kickbacks in return for bond reductions that allowed drug defendants to get out of jail. He was convicted along with Caddo Juvenile Court Judge Vernon Claville.
Judge's commute tallies $21,000
(8/26/08) Criminal Court District Judge Arthur Hunter was reimbursed for over $21,000 worth of travel in the last 3 years.
Plaquemines judge pleads not guilty to theft, malfeasance charges
(8/12/08) State Judge William Roe of Plaquemines Parish pleaded not guilty to theft and malfeasance charges related to financial mismanagement in the 25th Judicial District Court.
Opponent quits; incumbent keeps court judgeship
(8/12/08) District Judge Don Johnson's opponent, Tarvald Smith, dropped out of the race. Johnson has no remaining opponent in the 2008 election.
Candidates make it official as signup for races begins; Four open judge posts on Tammany ballot
(8/10/08) State Judges Elaine DiMiceli, Patricia Hedges, Larry Green and Donald Fendlason are retiring this year. The addition of the two family court judgeships would mean that at least half of the judicial positions -- or six of the court's 12 judicial divisions -- likely would be contested in October.
Appellate judge seeks promotion
(6/24/08) Roland Belsome officially announces his candidacy for the Louisiana Supreme Court.
Regional lawmakers back judicial split
(6/2/08) Legislators from surrounding parishes have formed a coalition to divide the first district of the First Circuit Court of Appeals. House Bill 854 by Rep. Eddie Lambert, a Republican from Gonzales, is expected to receive its final hearing on the Senate floor this week, but a group of coastal lawmakers are expected to float an alternative that could give the proposal a new life. Lambert argues that the northerly parishes in the district—Ascension, Assumption, Iberville and Pointe Coupee—are unable to gain representation on the benches. Presently, the vote-heavy areas of Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes have a hold over all four of the district's at-large judgeships.
Judicial investigator quits LA post
(5/29/08) Steven Scheckman, special counsel to the Judiciary Commission of Louisiana quit his position to join the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct.
Testimony begins in judge's corruption case
(5/27/2008) Justice was for sale at the hands of Caddo District Judge Michael Walker and Juvenile Court Judge Vernon Claville.The two acted with a local bondsman and an informant to reduce bonds, set low bonds and lift probation holds as a part of a bribery scheme.
Open Debate on Ethics Bill
(5/22/08) Gov. Jindal has signed ethics legislation aimed at lawmakers, the governor and other state and local officials, and the missing piece according to Advocate Opinion Staff is ethics reform regarding judges. Rep. Eric Ponti, Baton Rouge, has proposed bills to address this issue, and the bills should be before the Judiciary Committee next week.
Subdistrict carved out to elect a minority judge
(5/22/2008) The Justice Department agreed to the creation of a sub-district within Jefferson Parish; the parish is predominantly black and is governed by the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. The NAACP sued the state in 2005, in order to get the majority-minority voting district.
Judicial hopefuls both are confident
(10/23/07) Rundown of judicial contestants for the 24th District; Republicans Donald Rowan and Deborah Villio faced off in the Nov. 17 runoff to replace Judge Charles Cusimano for the Division L seat.
Parish 2006 legal bills expected to be $850,000
(11/26/2006) Terrebonne Parish government requested $50,000 extra in legal fees for the 2006 fiscal year. At the time, it was estimated that $300,000 was spent on legal advice/research and $546,000 on litigation. The parish's seven attorneys charge $105 an hour for their work defending the parish in court, writing ordinances or researching legal questions.
References
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The Louisiana Project on Judgepedia
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