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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- 1951 (95)
- 1950 (105)
- 1885 (1)
Recent Decisions From the Louisiana Supreme Court
Date: May 9, 2025
Docket Number: 2024-C-00802
Justia Opinion Summary: This case involves a motor vehicle accident that occurred on March 31, 2017, in Calcasieu Parish. Elvis Dean Thompson, driving an 18-wheeler for Terry Graham Trucking, rear-ended Tracey Day's vehicle, which then struck…
Date: May 9, 2025
Docket Number: 2024-C-00810
Justia Opinion Summary: Kenneth and Doreen Miller entered into a contract with Foundation, Elevation & Repair, LLC (FER) in 2010 for home elevation and foundation work. They also hired Direct Source Home Renovation, LLC (DSHR), owned by the…
Date: May 9, 2025
Docket Number: 2024-C-00865
Date: May 9, 2025
Docket Number: 2024-C-01007
Justia Opinion Summary: James and Kim McCormick own a 128.75-acre tract in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, accessed by a private driveway from Modica Lott Road. The property was part of a larger tract subdivided without adhering to the Bossier…
Date: May 9, 2025
Docket Number: 2024-KK-00737
Justia Opinion Summary: The defendant, Davieontray Lee Breaux, was indicted on two counts of first-degree murder and three counts of attempted first-degree murder. The State issued a notice to seek the death penalty for the first-degree murder…
Date: March 21, 2025
Docket Number: 2024-C-00631
Date: March 21, 2025
Docket Number: 2024-C-00840
Justia Opinion Summary: William Campbell, a guest at the Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans, was robbed and injured in the hotel’s courtyard on Christmas Day, 2008. He filed a lawsuit against the hotel and associated entities, alleging…
Date: March 21, 2025
Docket Number: 2024-CA-00995
Justia Opinion Summary: The case involves a challenge to the constitutionality of 2021 La. Acts, No. 437, which legalized historical horse racing without requiring voter approval in the affected parishes. Historical horse racing uses an…
Date: March 21, 2025
Docket Number: 2024-CC-00899
Justia Opinion Summary: In November 2019, Kathleen Welch was admitted to Tulane Medical Center for acute pancreatitis and diabetic ketoacidosis. After her discharge, she was admitted to BridgePoint Healthcare for rehabilitation, where she…
Date: March 21, 2025
Docket Number: 2024-KK-00888
Justia Opinion Summary: Christopher Diano was convicted of a felony offense on March 3, 2023, for an act committed on January 24, 2021. The State sought to adjudicate Diano as a habitual offender based on three prior felony convictions from…
Date: February 6, 2025
Docket Number: 2024-C-00406
Justia Opinion Summary: A subcontractor filed a lawsuit in 2013 against a contractor, the contractor's insurer, and a developer, claiming non-payment for work performed on a subdivision project. The contractor and insurer responded with a…
Date: February 6, 2025
Docket Number: 2024-C-00627
Justia Opinion Summary: Huntsman International, LLC, a chemical company, sued Praxair, Inc. for breach of contract, alleging that Praxair failed to supply sufficient hydrogen and carbon monoxide to Huntsman's Geismar, Louisiana plant. This…
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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