Taryn Phaneuf News
CEO survey says Louisiana's litigation laws are bad for business
BATON ROUGE — Louisiana’s litigation laws continue to play a role in how the state is perceived by business leaders across the country.
Gulf of Mexico oil producer fined $4 million for violating federal regulations
NEW ORLEANS — After pleading guilty to violating offshore oil production safety and environmental regulations, a district court judge sentenced Energy Resource Technology GOM (ERT) to three years of probation, and ordered the company to pay a $4 million fine and a $200,000 community service payment last week.
Utah uses Louisiana law firm's legal analysis to pursue public lands lawsuit
NEW ORLEANS — Utah lawmakers want to take control of the federally managed public lands that make up more than half the state, and they've turned to a local law firm to figure out how to do it.
Drivers take on Gretna's use of traffic cameras to issue tickets
GRETNA — A lawsuit against the city of Gretna and Redflex Traffic Systems adds to the growing number of lawsuits questioning the legality of citations issued by photo systems.
Rapides Parish District Attorney hires legal counsel to recover missing funds
ALEXANDRIA — The Rapides Parish District Attorney’s Office has recused itself from a criminal case involving a former employee and announced it hired a lawyer to attempt to recover the money the woman is accused of stealing.
Franklin Parish residents claim officials have denied public services because of race
LAFAYETTE — Four years after a grant should have connected a predominately black neighborhood to Franklin Parish’s public water system, two residents have filed a federal lawsuit alleging the project is incomplete because of racial discrimination by parish officials.
Baton Rouge man sues drug treatment center over son's overdose
BATON ROUGE — After his son died of an overdose at a California drug treatment facility, a Louisiana attorney is suing, claiming the facility didn’t follow regulations when staff allowed his son to stay at the residence after they knew he was intoxicated.
LaShip discrimination suit still on as plaintiffs re-file
NEW ORLEANS — After a judge denied the defendant's motion to dismiss, a lawsuit brought by six employees of LaShip, a Houma-based shipyard company, alleging they experienced retaliation after reporting discriminatory treatment, is moving forward.
Trump's popularity isn't always enough when it comes to winning delegates
BATON ROUGE – With only three months to go until the Republican National Convention, frontrunner Donald Trump seems to be feeling the tension as he looks to collect the necessary 1,237 delegates to secure the party’s nomination for president.
Jerry Baldwin will pursue new trial in racial ULL discrimination suit
BATON ROUGE — Following a mistrial in his discrimination suit against the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, former head football coach Jerry Baldwin has asked for another day in court.
John Pierre takes helm of Southern University Law Center
BATON ROUGE — As John Pierre became more interested in legal higher education, he started to see the importance and impact graduates of the Southern University Law Center have in the state, as they take jobs in public affairs, business and nonprofits.
NOLA city attorney fires back at critics of legal department
NEW ORLEANS — Following a critical report by the New Orleans Office of Inspector General, the city attorney responded to calls for time-tracking and other improvements by highlighting the ways her office provides “highly efficient and effective legal representation.”
Gas and oil association: Levee board's suit 'sends the wrong signal'
NEW ORLEANS — The ongoing suit brought by a New Orleans-area levee board “sends the wrong signal” to companies in Louisiana’s massive gas and oil industry, Chris John, president of the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association, told the Louisiana Record.
Tom Benson's fired personal assistant doesn't want NFL arbitrator to decide suit's fate
NEW ORLEANS — A former personal assistant to New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Tom Benson claims he should have been paid for the extra hours he spent running errands and serving his employer, including waiting in line for king cake at 4 a.m. during Mardi Gras.