Michael Carroll News
Administrative judge to decide if State Farm will have to pay hurricane evacuation costs
A quasi-judicial Louisiana panel will decide whether State Farm will be required to pay evacuation costs for policyholders fleeing the path of Hurricane Ida even when no local evacuation order was given.
Louisiana appeals court orders land transfer for levee project
A Louisiana appeals court has cleared the way for the transfer of private land for a hurricane levee project designed to protect tens of thousands of people in St. John the Baptist, St. Charles and St. James parishes from storm surges.
Amazon found not liable in sale of laptop battery that caught fire, injured buyer
Amazon.com is not liable for the injuries suffered by a Louisiana State University graduate student after a laptop battery she purchased using the online marketplace ignited in 2016 and set her bedding on fire, an appeals court ruled.
Louisiana civil rights attorney suspended for six months over client communication issues
The Louisiana Supreme Court has suspended a high-profile civil rights attorney after an investigation into charges that Ronald S. Haley Jr. failed to respond to client requests and inappropriately tried to resolve a malpractice claim.
Lafayette City Court judge disqualified after viral video showed she made racial slurs
The state Supreme Court has temporarily disqualified a Lafayette City Court judge after a video indicated that Judge Michelle Odinet made racial slurs in the wake of a burglary attempt at her home.
Election critic subpoenaed by Jan. 6 Committee testified before Louisiana election panel
A former Army colonel who has been subpoenaed by the committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the nation’s Capitol testified for over an hour before a Louisiana panel looking into how to upgrade the state’s voting machines.
St. Bernard residents sue to stop proposed container ship terminal
St. Bernard residents and community groups have filed a lawsuit challenging plans to build a $1.5 billion container ship terminal in the parish, alleging the project would devastate the region’s quality of life, destroy wetlands and lead to choking traffic.
St. Tammany Parish residents defeat waterfront casino project at the polls
St. Tammany Parish voters have overwhelmingly turned down a $325 million waterfront casino gambling project that has been the target of litigation contending the electoral process violated the state constitution.
Louisiana congressman authors bill to make staging of vehicle accidents a crime
A Baton Rouge congressman has introduced legislation that would make staging vehicle collisions a federal crime in the wake of investigators uncovering an extensive accident-staging ring in New Orleans.
State lawsuit challenges Edwards' moves to mandate COVID-19 vaccine for schoolchildren
Gov. John Bel Edwards this week overruled a legislative committee’s rejection of a rule requiring K-12 students to get the COVID-19 vaccine during the 2022-23 school year, prompting other state officials to file a lawsuit in East Baton Rouge.
Louisiana judges facing disciplinary hearings could now be on the hook for more court costs
The Louisiana Supreme Court has approved rule changes requiring judges who are convicted of crimes or who resign during the course of judicial discipline proceedings to foot the bill for investigation and court costs.
Louisiana must reform rules governing occupational licensing, new study says.
Louisiana needs to reform its stringent occupational licensing system to improve economic mobility for low- and moderate-income residents and expand job opportunities, according to a new Pelican Institute for Public Policy report.
Appeals court revives veteran's claims against New Orleans, former officers
A federal appeals court has breathed new life into an Iraq War veteran’s lawsuit against the city of New Orleans and two former police officers who allegedly pummeled the Latino veteran into unconsciousness after calling him a “fake American.”
LSU counsel's remarks about Title IX lawsuits prompts criticism
Attorneys involved in litigation over Louisiana State University’s sexual harassment reporting policies have called LSU’s general counsel callous and insensitive for remarks made before a state Senate hearing last month.
Dillard Department Stores sues Louisiana agency over Amazon warehouse deal
Dillard Department Stores has sued the Louisiana Department of Economic Development (LED), alleging that the department reneged on an oral agreement to provide $3.5 million as part of a deal to bring an Amazon warehouse to Baton Rouge.
Unvaccinated VCOM students seek to overturn consent judgment signed last month
Three unvaccinated college students are asking a federal judge to set aside a consent judgment they signed with the college last month, arguing that the Monroe medical school they attend has violated the agreement by continuing to retaliate against them.
Louisiana legal system blamed for rising auto insurance rates
Some observers of Louisiana's auto insurance market are raising concerns that last year’s Civil Justice Reform Act has yet to put downward pressure on the state’s auto rates, which one consumer website recently found is the highest in the U.S.
Nonprofit, Girl Scouts chapter in legal battle over sale of forest camp
A Louisiana nonprofit group is challenging the proposed sale of a Girl Scout camp near Independence, arguing that the 600-acre site is ecologically unique and should be preserved.
Louisiana jury sides with drug manufacturer in 2nd verdict on Taxotere warnings
A New Orleans jury last week handed Sanofi-Aventis its second defense victory in multidistrict litigation (MDL) over whether the drug company provided adequate warnings that the cancer drug Taxotere can cause permanent hair loss.
New Orleans credit union prevails in sexual harassment lawsuit
A federal court has granted a New Orleans credit union’s motion for a summary judgment in a lawsuit brought by a former credit union executive who alleged he was a victim of sexual harassment by higher-ups.