Tagged: Justice Bernette Johnson

Lawyers for Louisiana Supreme Court Justice Bernette Johnson are seeking more than $380,000 in attorneys' fees and expenses for work on her lawsuit over her bid to become the court's first black chief justice.

In a court filing Wednesday, Johnson's attorneys argue the amount they are seeking from the state of Louisiana is reasonable. U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan didn't immediately rule on the request.

A lawyer for Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal says a federal judge created confusion when she ruled in favor of state Supreme Court Justice Bernette Johnson's bid to become the court's next chief justice.

Kevin Tully, one of the state's attorneys, said in a statement Saturday that it's unclear whether U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan believes a 20-year-old federal court settlement prohibits the state's highest court from "carrying out its constitutional duties" and naming its next chief justice.

The State of Louisiana is appealing a judge's ruling that Louisiana Supreme Court Justice Bernette Johnson has the seniority that entitles her to become the court's next chief justice.

Friday's court filing by a lawyer representing Gov. Bobby Jindal's office asked the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to review U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan's ruling. Morgan sided with Johnson's bid to become the state's first black chief justice and succeed Justice Catherine Kimball when she retires in 2013.

Johnson had sued to block her colleagues from deciding the matter.