Justice System: Louisiana

In addition to the Supreme Court, in the Louisiana court structure there are 5 courts of appeal, 42 district courts, 5 family or juvenile courts, 50 city courts and 3 parish courts.

A total of 375 judges preside over these Louisiana courts.

Overview of LA Court System

• Mayor’s Courts
• Justice of the Peace Courts
• Parish Courts
• City Courts
• Family & Juvenile Courts
• District Courts
• Court of Appeals
• Supreme Court

Overview of Attorney General
Jack "Buddy" Caldwell, Attorney General (Democrat)

• First elected 2007
• Up for reelection 2010

Contingency Fees and the Attorney General
The attorney general of Louisiana may not enter into contingency fee agreements absent legislative authorization. Although the attorney general is authorized to hire outside counsel by statute, the Louisiana Supreme Court has found that contingent fee arrangements with private attorneys are unconstitutional absent legislative approval, because the power to appropriate and spend public funds is solely a legislative function. According to the court, “the power over finances must be expressly granted by the Constitution to another branch of government or else that power remains with the legislature.” The legislature has permitted such agreements in the context of labor and worker’s compensation cases as well as certain public land actions.

(Taken from Bounty Hunters On The Prowl: The Troubling Alliance Of State
Attorneys General and Plaintiffs’ Lawyers; by John Beisner, Jessica Davidson Miller, and Terrell McSweeny; May 26, 2005)

Supreme Court Justice System

Under the Constitution of 1974, the Louisiana Supreme Court is composed of seven justices elected from districts throughout Louisiana. In the year 2000, Supreme Court districts were reapportioned into seven new districts, with one justice elected from each of the districts. The justices of the Louisiana Supreme Court serve 10 year terms of office. The senior justice in point of service is the Chief Justice, who is the chief administrative officer of the judicial system. (About the Court)

Current Judges

Chief Justice Catherine D. “Kitty” Kimball
• Elected to the Supreme Court in 1992
• Reelected in 1998 and 2008
• Became Chief Justice in 2008
• Term expires in 2018

Justice Jeffrey P. Victory
• Elected to the Supreme Court in 1995
• Reelected in 2004
• Term Expires in 2014

Justice Jeannette Theriot Knoll
• Elected to the Supreme Court in 1996
• Reelected in 2006
• Term expires in 2016

Justice Marcus R. Clark
• Elected to the Supreme Court in 2009
• Term expires in 2019

Justice Greg G. Guidry
• Elected to the Supreme Court in 2009
• Term expires in 2019

Justice John L. Weimer
• Elected to the Supreme Court in 2001
• Reelected in 2002
• Term expires in 2012

Justice Bernette J. Johnson
• Elected to the Supreme Court in 1994
• Reelected in 2000
• Term expires in 2010