Michael Carroll News
State's high court allows officer's personal-injury lawsuit against BLM organizer to proceed
A lawsuit seeking damages against a Black Lives Matter (BLM) organizer involved in a violent 2016 BLM demonstration where a Baton Rouge police officer was severely injured can proceed under state law, the Louisiana Supreme Court said.
Lafayette-St. Martin Parish dispute over 'spoil bank' goes to court
Lafayette Consolidated Government (LCG) sued St. Martin Parish last week in anticipation that the parish was about to hit LCG with a lawsuit objecting to Lafayette’s removal of dirt levee material along the Vermilion Bayou.
Lawsuit challenging Louisiana's professional licensing provisions dismissed
A federal judge has dismissed a Louisiana social worker’s lawsuit that alleged the Louisiana Department of Health’s regulatory regime unconstitutionally restricted her from providing life-skills instruction to special-needs children.
New Orleans judge affirms $75.3 million award for owners of homes built on toxic landfill
A New Orleans court last week affirmed a $75.3 million settlement judgment for residents of homes built on a former toxic landfill who filed a class-action lawsuit against the city, Housing Authority of New Orleans and Orleans Parish School Board.
Voting rights groups sue to overturn Louisiana redistricting maps
As promised, civil rights groups have filed a lawsuit challenging the legality of the congressional redistricting map approved by the state Legislature but vetoed by Gov. John Bel Edwards.
Appeals court panel blocks injunction Landry won against greenhouse gas formula
A three-judge panel last week blocked an injunction barring federal agencies from applying the Biden administration’s more costly formula for estimating the social costs of greenhouse gas emissions.
Class action lawsuit alleges design, construction defects in D.R. Horton homes
A Youngville couple has filed a class-action lawsuit against homebuilder D.R. Horton, alleging their home has been beset by design and construction defects that led to water intrusion and rampant toxic mold.
Parties in lawsuit challenging Louisiana's sales tax system debate dismissal motion
A federal judge this week heard arguments about whether a lawsuit challenging Louisiana’s sales tax system as a violation of the U.S. Constitution’s commerce clause should be dismissed.
Congressional redistricting issue now in lawmakers' hands after Edwards' veto
Gov. John Bel Edwards tossed a political hot potato back to the state Legislature last week when he vetoed the lawmakers’ proposed congressional district boundaries for the decade ahead.
Excessive litigation costs seen as job killer in Louisiana's 2 biggest metro areas
New Orleans area residents pay $2.2 billion annually in excessive civil court costs, resulting in a “tort tax” of $2,763 per person and job losses of nearly 35,000, according to a new study from Louisiana Lawsuit Abuse Watch (LLAW).
Business groups urge state lawmakers to shore up unemployment insurance fund
With the Louisiana legislature set to open its annual session on Monday, business groups are urging lawmakers to hit the reset button on the state’s Unemployment Insurance Fund, which has seen its fortunes depleted during the coronavirus pandemic.
Legislature finds establishing offshore wind energy rules for Gulf is not a breeze
Legislation that would establish state regulations for the leasing of offshore wind energy sites in the Gulf could be counterproductive due to a provision allowing the state to get a cut of the revenues generated, according to advocates for wind energy.
New Orleans relaxes COVID-19 policies in wake of civil lawsuit
Plaintiffs who sued New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell and other city officials over the city’s COVID-19 masking policies and its vaccine mandates are declaring victory after New Orleans announced it is relaxing the measures this month.
Amended lawsuit alleges LSU running backs coach engaged in sex harassment
The latest iteration of a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against Louisiana State University and former athletics officials accuses LSU running backs coach Frank Wilson of repeated inappropriate behavior toward female students and workers.
Louisiana appeals court backs former Lafourche president in dispute over back pay
A Louisiana appeals court has sided with a former Lafourche Parish president in his lawsuit seeking more than $180,000 in back pay, effectively ending a three-year-old legal dispute.
Baton Rouge groundwater regulators sued over plan to meter industrial water users
A private Baton Rouge water company is suing to stop groundwater regulators from putting a metering system in place to monitor Baton Rouge-area industrial water users.
Civil rights groups urge governor to veto legislature's congressional redistricting maps
Civil rights groups have sent a letter to Gov. John Bel Edwards urging him to veto bills passed by the legislature that they say would fail to expand minority representation in Louisiana congressional districts.
Federal oil, gas drilling decisions on hold in wake of ruling on social carbon cost estimates
A federal judge’s recent decision to overturn a section of a presidential executive order that called for monetizing social carbon costs in federal actions will lead to delays in future oil and gas drilling, according to a court filing on Saturday.
Iberia parish judge finds no cause of action in lawsuit over donated boat disaster funds
A district judge has rejected a lawsuit alleging a Louisiana nonprofit mishandled donated funds for search-and-rescue operations in the wake of a liftboat disaster in the Gulf of Mexico last year.
Louisiana property owners lose bid to get gain share of pipeline firm's profits
The co-owners of 160 acres of Louisiana property are not entitled to a share of a pipeline company’s profits even though the company’s pipelines were constructed partially outside of the locations agreed to in a contract, a federal appeals court has ruled.