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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Recent Decisions From the Louisiana Supreme Court
Date: September 8, 2023
Docket Number: 2022-C-01763
Justia Opinion Summary: The Louisiana Supreme Court granted this writ application to address the manner in which the proponent of a notarial testament must prove conformity with its statutory form requirements; specifically, whether an unsigned…
Date: September 8, 2023
Docket Number: 2022-CC-01713
Justia Opinion Summary: Jefferson Parish School Board and Jefferson Parish Sheriff (collectively, “defendants”) challenged the constitutionality of a trial court judgment ordering the defendants to remit into the trial court’s registry…
Date: September 8, 2023
Docket Number: 2022-KK-01827
Justia Opinion Summary: In October 2003, the state charged defendant William Lee, Jr. with one count of second degree murder. In 2007, a unanimous jury found defendant guilty as charged. The trial court sentenced defendant to life imprisonment…
Date: June 27, 2023
Docket Number: 2022-C-00961
Justia Opinion Summary: In the summer of 2010, SD and DJ attended the Rock Solid Camp, a Shreveport day camp providing sports and other activities to children of varying ages. SD was an eight-year-old special education student with a mild case…
Date: June 27, 2023
Docket Number: 2022-C-01088
Justia Opinion Summary: Baker Sales, Inc. (“BSI”) obtained two loans from Newtek Small Business Finance, Inc. (“Newtek”) which were secured by mortgages on BSI’s commercial property. Robert and Elsa Baker (collectively “the Bakers”) executed…
Date: June 27, 2023
Docket Number: 2022-C-01570
Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiffs, the surviving parents of their deceased daughter, brought an action to nullify their daughter’s marriage to defendant, Eden Kol, based upon the allegation that their daughter and defendant entered into the…
Date: June 27, 2023
Docket Number: 2022-C-01715
Justia Opinion Summary: In April 2019, plaintiff Zach Bellard petitioned for damages for personal injuries he allegedly sustained when a defective attic/ceiling joist broke and caused him to fall while working as a plumber on a construction…
Date: June 27, 2023
Docket Number: 2022-CA-01826
Justia Opinion Summary: Defendants, the Congregation of Holy Cross Southern Province, Inc. and Holy Cross College, Inc. (collectively “Holy Cross”), challenged the constitutionality of 2021 La. Acts 322, §2 (“Act 322”), an enactment of the…
Date: June 27, 2023
Docket Number: 2022-KK-01385
Justia Opinion Summary: The issue this case presented for the Louisiana Supreme Court's review was a matter of first impression: whether a defendant who is charged with first degree murder can elect a bench trial when the state has filed a…
Date: June 27, 2023
Docket Number: 2023-CJ-00060
Justia Opinion Summary: The putative biological father sought to rebut, pursuant to La. C.C. art. 198, a presumption set forth in La. C.C. art. 185, despite having filed his avowal petition more than one year after the birth of the child and…
Date: June 27, 2023
Docket Number: 2023-CQ-00246
Justia Opinion Summary: United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit certified a question of law to the Louisiana Supreme Court. The questions related to claims made by Kirk Menard, who worked as an environmental, safety, and health…
Date: May 5, 2023
Docket Number: 2022-C-01455
Justia Opinion Summary: This matter arose from Wilbert Jones’ suit for compensation under La. R.S. 15:572.8 (“Wrongful Conviction Compensation Statute”). Jones was indicted for the rape of A.H. on April 3, 1972. At trial, he testified that he…
