Michael Carroll News
Judge opens door to class-action allegations in social media censorship lawsuit
A federal judge has granted a motion to add class-action allegations in a case filed by the Louisiana and Missouri attorneys general alleging federal officials colluded with social media companies to deprive Americans of their First Amendment rights.
Louisiana illegally hinders former inmates from voting, lawsuit alleges
A paperwork requirement that applies to thousands of Louisiana residents who want to restore their voting rights after being convicted of felonies violates federal law and is a vestige of the Jim Crow era, according to a federal lawsuit filed this month.
New Orleans legal climate results in tort tax of over $3,000 per person annually, study finds
Louisiana loses almost 50,000 jobs annually and struggles with a “tort tax” of $1,200 per resident as a result of excessive civil court costs, according to data released this week by Louisiana Lawsuit Abuse Watch.
Business advocate Jim Harris dies at age 77 in Baton Rouge
Jim Harris, a Louisiana business advocate for more than three decades who was known for his gentlemanly demeanor and three-piece suits, died of an extended illness this week in Baton Rouge at the age of 77.
Louisiana energy firm, federal government reach $3.1 million settlement over oil spill
A Louisiana energy company has agreed to abide by a consent decree with the federal government and pay out $3.1 million to address alleged environmental damage resulting from a 2017 oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico.
Insurance, legal reforms advance in Louisiana Legislature
Two bills designed to stabilize the property insurance market in Louisiana and keep bad actors out of the insurance claims process unanimously passed the state House of Representatives last month.
Insurance commissioner fines law firm $2 million over 'illegal insurance scheme'
Louisiana’s insurance commissioner has fined a Houston law firm and its partners $2 million for engaging in actions that Donelon said amounted to insurance fraud and unfair business practices involving more than 850 homeowners and policyholders.
EPA, chemical firm agree to legal settlement to reduce 'Cancer Alley' pollutants
A chemical company that operates a plant in Reserve, La., has agreed to a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that will result in the reduction of 5.6 tons of hazardous air emissions annually.
Louisiana NFIB doesn't expect major state tax reforms to pass this year
A Louisiana small business association is cautioning residents to moderate their hopes for the state Legislature to pass tax reform in the current session, but the group remains optimistic about the enactment of insurance reforms.
Appeals court upholds Louisiana food-labeling law but narrows its focus
A federal appeals court has rejected arguments that Louisiana’s food-labeling law infringes on the First Amendment rights of plant-based food companies whose marketing campaigns often compare their products to meat.
New Orleans tenants sue apartment complex owner over 'uninhabitable' units
Six tenants of an apartment complex in New Orleans are suing the nonprofit company that owns the building, alleging that many units are simply not livable due to continuing problems such as mold, a rodent infestation and broken plumbing.
Pelican Institute launches litigation campaign to end restrictive occupational licensing rules
The Pelican Institute is launching an initiative this week to strike down excessive occupational licensing requirements in the state that the institute says have barred residents from practicing their chosen profession.
Attorney General Landry leads coalition opposing new emission standards for gas stoves
Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry and officials from 20 other states are calling on the U.S. Department of Energy to abandon proposed new emission standards for gas stoves that they say would sideline more than 50% of the stoves currently on the market.
Louisiana ranks 5th for jury verdicts against corporations exceeding $10 million, study finds
Despite representing only 1.5% of the U.S. population, Louisiana ranked fifth among the states in a new study that catalogs the increasing number of jury verdicts against corporations that exceed $10 million.
Louisiana senator files bill requiring parental consent for minors to get TikTok app
A Louisiana lawmaker has filed a bill that would bar social media companies such as TikTok from providing accounts to minors without a parent’s or guardian’s permission and require that new age-verification rules are followed.
5th Circuit ruling affirms injunction against COVID-19 vaccination mandate for federal workers
A federal appeals court has affirmed a lower court’s decision to block the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccination requirement for federal workers, finding that the administration had overstepped its authority.
St. James Parish groups seek industrial site moratorium in lawsuit to overturn 'racist' zoning policies
Black St. James Parish residents are suing the parish council and seeking a moratorium on future industrial projects, arguing that the parish’s current land-use and zoning policies are rooted in a history of slavery and Jim Crow laws.
State court tosses out environmental lawsuit against Plaquemines Parish LNG project
A proposed Plaquemines Parish liquefied natural gas plant is moving forward after a Baton Rouge judge tossed out a lawsuit filed by environmental groups arguing that the project failed to obtain a needed coastal use permit.
Louisiana regulators sued over efforts to police hemp product sales
Makers of consumable hemp products are suing the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control (ATC), arguing that the agency’s recent crackdown on goods containing the psychoactive component THC exceeds its authority.
Roofing company sues MMA law firm, alleging malpractice in property insurance claims
A roofing company that partnered with the McClenny, Moseley & Associates law firm to file hundreds of hurricane-damage claims in Louisiana is now suing the Texas firm’s Louisiana managing partner, alleging malpractice and economic damages.