The director of civil justice, energy and environmental quality for the state's largest lobbying organization, the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, said more work needs to be done to increase transparency and accountability in the state's judiciary.
Lauren Chauvin said LABI intends to work with stakeholders across industries to develop better models to educate taxpayers about the need for transparency in an interview with the Louisiana Record.
“This past session, there were once again a host of reforms introduced to enhance transparency, and once again, they were opposed and defeated by the same chorus of voices,” Chauvin said. “This trend cannot continue. The fact is there are many impartial jurists and dedicated employees within the judiciary who work each day on behalf of the taxpayers of this state, and we hope they will soon feel compelled to join the call for more transparency throughout the judiciary.
“The state needs their voices to demand more transparency now more than ever.”
The Record previously reported that concerns regarding Louisiana Supreme Court Justice Jefferson Hughes while he was a state judge overseeing a 1998 child abuse and custody case have brought to light the question of whether lawmakers should approve legislation making the records from the state’s judiciary commission public.
The child abuse and custody case Hughes oversaw later led to an investigation by the FBI and the U,S, Supreme Court’s judicial enforcement arm after allegations that the judge was romantically involved with an attorney in the case. Neither the FBI nor the judicial commission took actions against Hughes.