In a striking legal development, a class action lawsuit has been filed against a Justice of the Peace in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, alleging financial conflicts of interest that compromise the fairness of eviction proceedings. The complaint was filed by Latoria George on February 25, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana against Steven E. Sanders, who serves as Justice of the Peace for Ward 3, District 2.
The case highlights significant concerns about the impartiality of eviction proceedings in Louisiana. According to the complaint, Justice Sanders presides over hundreds of eviction cases each month and funds his salary and court operations through fees collected from these proceedings. This arrangement allegedly creates a personal and institutional financial conflict of interest that violates tenants' rights to due process under the Fourteenth Amendment. "The statutory funding structure...violates Plaintiff’s right to a disinterested and impartial tribunal," states the complaint. Furthermore, it argues that tenants face limited appellate rights compared to those whose cases are heard in district or city courts.
Plaintiff Latoria George claims that this system incentivizes Sanders to favor landlords who choose his court for evictions due to lower filing fees and fewer procedural protections for tenants. The complaint also alleges that Sanders's reliance on these fees results in an unfair bias against tenants like George, who is currently facing eviction despite having made out-of-pocket repairs due to her landlord's neglect.
George seeks a declaration from the court that specific Louisiana statutes enabling this fee structure violate both the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment. The plaintiff argues that these laws create an unconstitutional disparity in appellate rights based solely on where landlords file their petitions for eviction.
Representing George is a team of attorneys experienced in civil rights litigation. The case is presided over by Judge S.D.J., with Case ID 3:25-cv-00168-SDJ-EWD.