Municipal Law
Legislative Changes to the New Orleans Judiciary: What It Means for Litigators
The Louisiana Legislature’s 2026 regular legislative session brought sweeping changes to the local judiciary in New Orleans. Through a package of legislative acts, including... More
Louisiana Supreme Court Answers Certified Question from Federal Fifth Circuit
Brief Look The United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, in Breaux v. Worrell, 141 F.4th 712 (5th Cir.), requested certification of the following... More
Fifth Circuit Holds Louisiana School Resource Officer Entitled to Qualified Immunity Based on De Minimis Use of Force
In Carter v. Dupuy, No. 25-30213 (5th Cir. Apr. 20, 2026), the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit reversed the district... More
Fifth Circuit Concurrence Endorses Applying the Familiar “Objective Reasonableness” Standard of Qualified Immunity in the Criminal Context
Despite recent literature critiquing the validity of the doctrine of qualified immunity for public officials, at least two Fifth Circuit judges have endorsed applying... More
Update: Supreme Court Hears Arguments in Landmark Coastal Case involving Louisiana
The United States Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments in Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Plaquemines Parish, a case that could have wide-ranging implications, both... More
Fifth Circuit Splits on First Amendment Case, Shedding Light on Qualified Immunity
In a splintered panel decision in Hershey v. City of Bossier City, the Fifth Circuit considered the First Amendment’s application to an individual distributing... More
Fifth Circuit Applies Totality of Circumstances Analysis in Excessive Force Case
Update: On remand, Fifth Circuit applies totality of the circumstances analysis in considering whether law enforcement officers deployed unreasonably excessive force. Barnes v. Felix,... More
Louisiana Takes Center Stage in Supreme Court Removal Dispute
The United States Supreme Court recently agreed to hear arguments in a long-running lawsuit brought by Louisiana and two of its parishes, attempting to... More
Supreme Court Rejects Fifth Circuit’s “Moment-of-Threat” Doctrine in Assessing Whether an Officer’s Use of Deadly Force Violates the Constitution
The U.S. Supreme Court recently took up Barnes v. Felix, a case from the Fifth Circuit that applied the so-called moment-of-threat rule, wherein a... More
MBLB Secures Judgment Establishing Louisiana Recreational Use Statutes Afford Levee Districts and Government Entities With Tort Immunity
The Louisiana recreational use immunity statutes, La. R.S. 38:301(E)(1) and La. R.S. 9:2795(B)(1), provide immunity to levee districts and other political entities for personal... More