GRETNA — A man is seeking damages after a candidate for associate justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court allegedly falsified information.
Stephen Michael Petit Jr. filed a suit in the 24th Judicial District Court July 27 against Richard Lynn Ducote and Kyle Ardoin in his official capacity as the Louisiana secretary of state, alleging falsification of information regarding candidacy eligibility.
According to the claim, the plaintiff is seeking damages, after Ducote, who is running for associate justice of the Supreme Court of Louisiana, swore that he had filed federal and state income tax returns, and was not required to complete any other tax return process at the time. It was discovered that Ducote allegedly falsified information regarding his tax status and is not eligible to run for election due to outstanding paperwork in addition to the defendant not having been born in the respective district, circuit or parish or having lived there for the required one year preceding the election.
The defendant is accused of falsification of information regarding candidacy eligibility.
The plaintiff is seeking all reasonable sums due, attorney fees and court costs. The plaintiff is represented by Wiley J. Beevers of Beevers & Beevers LLP in Gretna.
The case has been assigned to Division K Judge Ellen Shirer Kovach.
The 24th Judicial District Court case number 786086