Judge nullification

Maybe this seems tacky to some but anything that strips away the myth that judges are somehow a-political or act outside of the influence of the interests who elect them is good.  If, for example, you are suing the oil and gas industry over the irreparable damage it has inflicted on your parish's coastal environment and you know the judge presiding over your case works for the oil companies, well then you ought to do what you can to get that judge out of the way. 

Will Crain, who was elected to one of the seven seats on the Supreme Court late last year after a bitter race, has been the subject of three recusal motions from the Talbot, Carmouche and Marcello law firm since the start of the year.

The firm often represents landowners or governments in coastal and property damage lawsuits against oil and gas companies. In asking for Crain's recusal, the firm's attorneys have pointed to a mailer from Crain’s campaign that targeted attorney John Carmouche and questioned his spending in support of Crain’s opponent, appeals court judge Hans Liljeberg. Carmouche’s firm has argued that the mailer, which warned voters “don’t be deceived” by Carmouche, showed that Crain harbors “actual bias” against him.

Yes, there is some transitory reasoning at work here.  But that's how politics works. Before you understand anything else, make sure you figure out who is giving money to whom and why.  (Remember this, also, as the First City Court runoff develops.  There is likely to be an awful lot of real estate money interested in that outcome.)

This whole court is out of order

Or so says this lawsuit.

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A civil rights organization has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the maps used to elect Louisiana's seven state Supreme Court justices as discriminatory against African American voters.

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Baton Rouge, seeks a declaration that the districts violate the federal Voting Rights Act. It also seeks an order that the district boundaries be re-drawn.

The Washington, D.C.-based Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law filed the lawsuit on behalf of the Louisiana State Conference of the NAACP and two black voters.

The Louisiana Supreme Court says it doesn't comment on pending litigation. A statement from the Secretary of State's office, which oversees elections, said the office had not yet been served with the lawsuit "but will thoroughly and vigorously review any litigation at the appropriate time."

Just a couple of notes here. The Secretary of State is up for reelection himself this year which could affect any decisions made with regard to this lawsuit.

Also one of these state Supreme Court seats under dispute is now open thanks to the departure of Greg Guidry who was recently appointed to a seat the Eastern District of Louisiana Federal Court. The "heavily Republican district," according to this article, has drawn at least three candidates that I can count so far.  That article names Jefferson Parish judge Scott Schlegel as well as Covington attorney Richard Ducote. According to this, State Appellate Judge Will Crain has also announced he is running.

Don't know how the lawsuit affects these elections this year yet. But it's something to keep an eye on.