Originally published on Sun February 3, 2013 2:08 pm
Her honor Bernette J. Johnson was sworn in as Louisiana's first African American chief justice Friday morning. Johnson was only able to take her seat after two civil rights lawsuits.
A federal judge is set to hold a hearing in the dispute over who will to be the next chief justice of Louisiana's Supreme Court.
Louisiana's constitution says the longest-serving of the seven justices must get the top spot.
Bernette Johnson has served on the court since 1994 but supporters of fellow justice Jeffrey Victory say Johnson's first years shouldn't count. She was elected from an appeals court district and assigned to the higher court under a civil rights lawsuit settlement.
A power struggle on the Louisiana Supreme Court is headed to federalcourt this week. Lawyers are seeking to reopen an old voting rights case that gave the Deep South state its first black Supreme Court justice. What's at stake in the racially charged fight is whether Louisiana will now have its first African-American chief justice.
