| DOMESTIC RELATIONS
|
| 1. | Court reverses classification of company as community property, rejects concept of substitute corporation.
Michael B. Reis, Jr. v. Mandy Pohlmann Reis, 2025-C-00539 (La. 03/06/2026) [12 pp]
From LSCR Volume 34, Issue 3Plaintiff and defendant were married in 2010. In 2016 they formed the company Outkast
Environmental, LLC., which engaged in industrial cleaning services. Plaintiff petitioned for and was granted a ... view full summary |
| BAR / DISCIPLINARY / ETHICS
|
| 2. | Court reverses judgment splitting contingency fee, holds Rules of Professional Conduct apply to fee agreements between lawyers.
Ike Spears v. William W. Hall, 2025-C-00195 (La. 03/06/2026) [23 pp.]
From LSCR Volume 34, Issue 3
Shortly after Hurricane Katrina, attorney Ike Spears approached attorney William W. Hall
about submitting a joint proposal to the Board of Commissioners for the Port of N... view full summary |
| 3. | Shreveport judge suspended without pay for nine months.
In re: Judge Sheva Sims, 2025-O-01449 (La. 03/06/2026) [22 pp.]
From LSCR Volume 34, Issue 3
Respondent became a judge of the Shreveport City Court, Parish of Caddo, effective
December 2011. An investigation arose from numerous complaints filed by l... view full summary |
| 4. | Court orders Judiciary Commission to investigate complaints against two judges.
In re: Judiciary Commission File Nos. 25-342 & 25-420, 03/25/2026) [12 pp.]
From LSCR Volume 34, Issue 3
Complaints were filed with the Judiciary Commission of Louisiana against two judges. The
Commission dismissed the complaints without formal investigation. The complaina... view full summary |
| CIVIL PROCEDURE
|
| 5. | Court reverses on exception of non-joinder of law firm that jointly represented plaintiffs.
Gayle Heard v. Krause and Kinsman Trial Lawyers, 2025-CC-01570 (La. 03/18/2026) [2 pp.]
From LSCR Volume 34, Issue 3
Plaintiffs brought a breach of contract and legal malpractice claim against a law firm, alleging
it entered into a joint venture with the firm McClenny, Mosely & As... view full summary |
| 6. | Court transfers appeal over validity of city ordinance back to court of appeal.
Rice Group, LLC v. The New Orleans City Council, 2025-CA-01563 (La. 03/18/2026) [4 pp.]
From LSCR Volume 34, Issue 3
Plaintiff filed this suit alleging that New Orleans Ordinance No. 29676 violated the City's
Home Rule Charter. The district court granted plaintiff'... view full summary |
| EVIDENCE
|
| 7. | All relevant evidence may be considered in wrongful conviction suit.
Larry Moses v. State, 2025-KK-00934 (La. 03/25/2026) [7 pp.]
From LSCR Volume 34, Issue 3
Plaintiff brought a claim under La. R.S. 15:572 for compensation for wrongful conviction and
imprisonment. The statute provides that all such petitions "sha... view full summary |
| INSURANCE
|
| 8. | Unconditional payment by insurer before its insolvency interrupted prescription of first-party property insurance claim against LIGA.
Cynthia Bryan v. Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, 2025-C-00443 (La. 03/06/2026) [8 pp.]
From LSCR Volume 34, Issue 3
On August 29, 2021, plaintiffs' property was damaged by Hurricane Ida. The property was
insured by a company that had merged with Southern Fidelity Insura... view full summary |
| PROPERTY
|
| 9. | Port authority did not establish expropriation was for public purpose.
Plaquemines Port Harbor & Terminal District v. Tuan Nguyen, 2025-C-00827 (La. 03/06/2026) [16 pp.]
From LSCR Volume 34, Issue 3
Defendant owned approximately 29 acres of unimproved immovable property in
Plaquemines Parish. The property was located within the 630-acre footprint of a liquefi... view full summary |
| STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
|
| 10. | Court clarifies standard of judicial review of local governmental land use decisions.
Beverly Alexander v. St. James Parish, 2025-C-00866 c/w 2025-C-00868 (La. 03/06/2026) [23 pp.]
From LSCR Volume 34, Issue 3
Koch Methanol St. James, LLC operated a methanol production facility in St. James Parish. In
July 2023 it applied for a land use permit for a project to upgra... view full summary |
| 11. | Court reinstates candidate to ballot for judicial election.
Andrew Bradley Towbin v. John T. Fuller, 2026-C-00296 (La. 03/11/2026) [14 pp.]
From LSCR Volume 34, Issue 3
On February 13, 2026, John Fuller executed and filed a notarized notice of candidacy form in
connection with the May 2026 election of a judge for Orleans Par... view full summary |
| TAXATION
|
| 12. | Sheriff allowed to collect 1992 taxes once taxpayer failed to pay current taxes.
Esplanade Mall Realty Holdings, LLC v. Joseph P. Lopinto, III, 2025-CA-00708 (La. 03/06/2026) [21 pp.]
From LSCR Volume 34, Issue 3
At issue here were ad valorem property taxes for the year 1992 on immoveable property on
which a Macy's store was located at Esplanade Mall in Kenner. Pertinent her... view full summary |
| SUCCESSIONS
|
| 13. | Court upholds olographic testament containing multiple dates and signature in the middle of the document.
Succession of Laurie Maria Brocato, 2025-C-00367 (La. 03/06/2026) [12 pp.]
From LSCR Volume 34, Issue 3
Laurie Maria Brocato died on October 5, 2021. In March 2022 her nephew, Brandon Glorioso,
petitioned to probate Brocato's November 4, 2019, olographic testament, wh... view full summary |
| DOMESTIC RELATIONS
|
| 14. | Peremptive period for bringing avowal action unconstitutional as applied to biological father.
Sarah Allen Davidson v. Terrance Hardy, 2025-CJ-00950 (La. 03/06/2026) [23 pp.]
From LSCR Volume 34, Issue 3
On May 22, 2019, baby ZH was born to Sarah Davidson. Because the child was born about
100 days after the termination of Davidson's marriage to Steven Allen, Allen w... view full summary |
| CRIMINAL
|
| 15. | Defendant entitled to evidentiary hearing on factual innocence claim.
State v. David Hudson, 2025-KP-01089 (La. 03/03/2026) [2 pp.]
From LSCR Volume 34, Issue 3
In this post-conviction proceeding, defendant raised a claim of factual innocence, which was
dismissed by the district court. The First Circuit denied defendant's w... view full summary |
| 16. | Court excludes expert testimony diagnosing child sexual abuse.
State v. Christopher Cloudie, 2025-KK-00471 (La. 03/06/2026) [18 pp.]
From LSCR Volume 34, Issue 3
Defendant was charged with one count of first-degree rape and one count of aggravated
crime against nature. The state accused him of performing oral sex on... view full summary |
| 17. | On collateral review, counsel's denial of defendant's right to testify does not automatically require reversal.
State v. Jarvis Turner, 2025-KP-00209 (La. 03/06/2026) [13 pp.]
From LSCR Volume 34, Issue 3
Defendant's conviction for armed robbery was affirmed on appeal in 2008. He later filed this
collateral attack on his conviction, claiming ineffective assistance of... view full summary |
| 18. | Failure to list "not guilty" as option on verdict form warranted new trial.
State v. Michael Steven White, 2024-K-00761 (La. 03/06/2026) [21 pp.]
From LSCR Volume 34, Issue 3
After a 9-1-1 call from the owner of a car lot, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's deputies found
defendant sitting inside one of the cars on the lot at 10:30 ... view full summary |
| 19. | Court reverses evidentiary ruling on victim character evidence.
State v. Ted Breaux, 2026-KD-00309 (La. 03/10/2026) [2 pp.]
From LSCR Volume 34, Issue 3
The State moved to exclude victim character evidence under La. Code Evid. art.
404(A)(2)(a). The district court denied the ... view full summary |
| 20. | Court reverses evidentiary ruling excluding child victim's recorded statement.
State v. Saturnino Pena, 2026-KK-00318 (La. 03/11/2026) [2 pp.]
From LSCR Volume 34, Issue 3
Evidence in this case included an audiotaped recording of a statement by the child victim at
the New Orleans Children's Hospital CARE Center. The district court gra... view full summary |
| 21. | Officers could continue to search vehicle after finding marijuana in handbag.
State v. Darren Braud, 2025-KK-01526 (La. 03/18/2026) [3 pp.]
From LSCR Volume 34, Issue 3
After detecting the smell of marijuana, officers searched defendant's vehicle. They recovered
a small amount of marijuana in the passenger's handbag and continu... view full summary |
| 22. | Even removing other statements in search warrant affidavit, probable cause existed based on odor of marijuana.
State v. Donald C. Plaisance, 2025-KK-01562 (La. 03/18/2026) [2 pp.]
From LSCR Volume 34, Issue 3
In its case against defendant, the State relied on evidence obtained pursuant to a search
warrant executed at his residence. In moving to suppress... view full summary |
| 23. | Court orders district court to act on motion.
State v. David Johnson, 2026-KH-00115 (La. 03/18/2026) [2 pp.]
From LSCR Volume 34, Issue 3
Defendant represented that the district court did not act timely on a motion to correct illegal
sentence filed in August 2024. The Court granted defendant's mandamu... view full summary |
| 24. | Defendant did not make requisite showing for severance.
State v. Carl Newman, 2026-KK-00329 (La. 03/19/2026) [2 pp.]
From LSCR Volume 34, Issue 3
The State brought criminal charges against defendants Carl Newman and Brian Plummer. One of the defendants moved to sever, and the district court granted the motion. The... view full summary |
| 25. | Sexual assault nurse examiner could testify as expert at trial.
State v. Morrell Torbert, 2026-KK-00165 (La. 03/20/2026) [2 pp.]
From LSCR Volume 34, Issue 3
In this criminal case the State filed a "Notice of SANE Expert" as to Sexual Assault Nurse
Examiner Denise Guy, RN. Defendant moved to exclude N... view full summary |
| 26. | Orleans Parish Criminal District Court was without authority to order petitioner's release.
Clifford McGraw v. Tim Hooper, 2025-KD-01522 (La. 03/25/2026) [4 pp.]
From LSCR Volume 34, Issue 3
Petitioner was convicted of first-degree murder in 1975 and sentenced to death. In 1978 his
death sentence was vacated after the United States Supreme Court ... view full summary |
| 27. | Court orders district court to act on notice of intent to seek writs.
State v. Michael Wiggins, 2025-KH-01647 (La. 03/25/2026) [2 pp.]
From LSCR Volume 34, Issue 3
Defendant represented that the district court failed to act timely on his notice of intent to
seek writs with an incorporated request for a return date that was filed... view full summary |