Louisiana Supreme Court Decisions
The unique origins of the Louisiana Supreme Court date back to the French and Spanish heritage of the state. Seven justices serve on the Court, which holds discretionary jurisdiction over all cases other than those involving the death penalty. This means that the Court can choose whether to review a case. The justice with the greatest seniority on the Court serves as the Chief Justice, who is viewed as the chief administrative officer of the judicial system in Louisiana. In 2008, a Tulane University study questioned the impartiality of the justices, arguing that they favored parties and attorneys who had made contributions to them. However, Chief Justice Pascal Calogero pointed out errors in the data and methodology of the study, which undermined its conclusions.
Each justice serves a 10-year term. Louisiana is divided into seven districts for the purposes of these elections, and each district elects a justice. These elections are partisan, which means that the party affiliation of the justice appears on the ballot. To run for election to the Louisiana Supreme Court, a candidate needs to be domiciled in the district, circuit, or parish in which they are running for election for at least one year before the election. They also must be younger than 70 and must have been admitted to practice law in Louisiana for at least 10 years.
A justice may be removed from the Louisiana Supreme Court if they are impeached by the Louisiana House of Representatives in a majority vote and convicted by the Louisiana Senate in a two-thirds vote. Alternatively, a justice may be removed from the Court if the judiciary commission in the state recommends removal. If a current justice on the Court chooses to pursue an office outside the judicial branch, they must resign from serving on the Court. They cannot receive contributions to a non-judicial campaign while serving on the Court.
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- 1885 (1)
Recent Decisions From the Louisiana Supreme Court
Date: April 26, 2024
Docket Number: 2023-C-01108
Justia Opinion Summary: The case involves a dispute over the incorporation of the proposed City of St. George in Louisiana. The petition for incorporation was filed in 2018 and was approved by the governor, leading to a special election in…
Date: March 22, 2024
Docket Number: 2023-C-00928
Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court of Louisiana considered whether an architect and contract administrator had duty of care towards an employee of a subcontractor under the terms of a construction contract. The employee, Gustavo Bonilla,…
Date: March 22, 2024
Docket Number: 2023-C-01106
Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court of Louisiana was asked to decide if the Council of the City of New Orleans ("Council") had the legal standing to institute a lawsuit against various parties, including the Mayor of New Orleans, relating…
Date: March 22, 2024
Docket Number: 2023-CC-01194
Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court of Louisiana ruled in a case involving allegations of child sexual abuse by a Roman Catholic priest. The plaintiffs alleged that the abuse occurred between 1971 and 1979 when they were aged between…
Date: March 22, 2024
Docket Number: 2023-K-00008
Justia Opinion Summary: The case in question concerns the defendant, Sharrieff M. Kent, who was convicted by a Plaquemines Parish jury of two counts of aggravated assault with a firearm, one count of aggravated criminal damage to property, and…
Date: January 26, 2024
Docket Number: 2021-KP-00812
Justia Opinion Summary: Darrell J. Robinson was convicted of four counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. Robinson appealed to the Supreme Court of Louisiana, arguing that the state suppressed material evidence that violated his…
Date: January 26, 2024
Docket Number: 2023-CC-00794
Justia Opinion Summary: In a dispute arising from a contract for refurbishing an elementary school, the Supreme Court of Louisiana ruled that no unfair trade practices claim could be stated against the State of Louisiana, Department of…
Date: January 26, 2024
Docket Number: 2023-CQ-00257
Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court of Louisiana was asked by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on whether the commencement of a suit in a court of competent jurisdiction and venue interrupts prescription as to…
Date: December 8, 2023
Docket Number: 2022-K-01824
Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, the Supreme Court of Louisiana reviewed a conviction for domestic abuse battery involving strangulation. The defendant, Jose Sagastume, was found guilty by a unanimous jury and sentenced to three years…
Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.
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