Michael Carroll News
Four more plead guilty to taking part in staged big-rig accidents in New Orleans
A federal probe into staged accidents involving 18-wheelers in New Orleans continued to barrel along this month as four more participants entered guilty pleas in a scheme to bilk an insurer and a trucking company out of millions of dollars
St. Landry Parish sues energy companies over alleged groundwater pollution
St. Landry Parish and the village of Crankton have filed suit against Exxon Mobil Corp., Chevron U.S.A. and other energy companies, alleging that they’re responsible for groundwater contamination from a former oilfield tank farm.
Louisiana corrections system faces probe over prisoner release delays
The U.S. Justice Department has launched a probe into practices within the Louisiana Department of Corrections that critics say have kept inmates behind bars long past their release dates.
Louisiana finishes in top 5 in 'Judicial Hellholes' report
Despite the recent passage of some civil litigation reforms and COVID-19 liability protections for businesses and health care facilities, Louisiana has earned a spot on the “Judicial Hellholes” list for the eighth year in a row.
Google antitrust lawsuit won't benefit consumers, tech expert says
An antitrust case filed against Google by the U.S. Justice Department and state attorneys general, including Louisiana’s Jeff Landry, fails to address the best interests of consumers, a tech expert at the Pelican Institute said.
Sen. Cassidy acknowledges Biden win in presidential race
Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy’s acknowledgement last month that Joe Biden won the Nov. 3 presidential election hasn’t resulted in other prominent Republicans in the state accepting the election outcome.
Pastor's challenge to Edwards' COVID-19 orders still alive, attorney says
The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to take up a Baton Rouge pastor’s quest for an injunction against Gov. John Bel Edwards’ coronavirus orders in the early months of the pandemic, but his attorney said the original case remains alive.
Black Lives Matter liability case remanded to Louisiana Supreme Court
First Amendment groups welcomed a U.S. Supreme Court decision earlier this month in a case that involved an injured Baton Rouge police officer’s liability claim in the wake of a violent Black Lives Matter demonstration.
Louisiana apartment owners sue to overturn CDC eviction ban
A trade organization that represents Louisiana landlords is suing the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, arguing the agency has exceeded its authority by imposing a nationwide eviction ban during the coronavirus pandemic.
Insurer loses initial skirmishes in New Orleans coronavirus coverage case
Attorneys for underwriters at Lloyd's of London lost some legal skirmishes earlier this month in a closely watched New Orleans case that will determine whether a restaurant’s business-interruption coverage applies during COVID-19 pandemic.
Critics fear negative effects of sports betting after most Louisiana parishes legalize it
Eighty-six percent of Louisiana’s parishes voted on Nov. 3 to allow sports betting within their borders, leading critics of legalized gambling to warn of over-promised revenue benefits and a rise in youth gaming addiction.
Edwards caps bill aimed at jumpstarting state's oil, gas industry
A House bill that Louisiana oil and gas companies saw as a way to revive their ailing industry was vetoed Wednesday by Gov. John Bel Edwards, who pointed to what he said were shortcomings in its severance tax exemptions.
Federal judge deals setback for California's alligator products ban
A federal judge has snapped back at a California ban on the sales of alligator products, ruling that the California law cannot be enforced while the courts sort out the arguments of plaintiffs who oppose the ban.
Louisiana judge, governor thwart efforts to block private grants to local election officials
Efforts by Louisiana officials to block millions of dollars in private grants from reaching local registrar’s offices have been rebuffed in recent weeks, despite concerns that the funds would be a partisan threat to fair and free elections.
Louisiana's oil industry sees some upsides to election results
Though it faces lawsuits from parishes seeking billions of dollars in compensation for coastal erosion and continuing economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, Louisiana’s energy industry has taken some solace from the Nov. 3 election results.
Personal injury lawyer indicted in federal probe of staged accidents
A sprawling federal investigation into staged vehicle collisions with tractor-trailers in New Orleans saw its first indictment Thursday against a personal injury attorney who was allegedly at the center of widespread insurance fraud.
Louisiana group seeks to topple barriers stopping former prisoners from voting
A Louisiana group of formerly incarcerated people that has urged the Secretary of State’s Office remove voting barriers hopes to avoid litigation through talks set to begin ths week, the group’s attorney said Friday.
Edwards vetoes bill that would check his power to respond to health emergencies
Gov. John Bel Edwards and the state legislature remain at loggerheads over the executive branch’s broad authority to issue regulations and orders to deal with health emergencies such as the coronavirus pandemic.
Plant-based foods firm has a beef with Louisiana law
A plant-based foods company has filed a federal lawsuit against a new Louisiana law that calls for hefty fines on veggie products that use terms such as “burger” or “sausage” in their labels.
Louisiana's Amendment 2 would expand methods to assess oil and gas well
Louisiana voters on Nov. 3 will decide the fate of a constitutional amendment that supporters say will provide a fairer and more accurate way for the state to assess the value of oil and gas wells.