Tagged: Louisiana Supreme Court

Fifteen New Orleans-area elected officials have told Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Katherine Kimball that she should take steps to ensure that Justice Bernette Johnson succeeds her as the court's chief.

Kimball retires next year. Louisiana's Constitution says the longest serving justice must succeed her. Johnson and Justice Jeffrey Victory each stake claims to being the longest serving.

Attorney Mary Whitney has been selected to serve as special counsel for the Louisiana Judiciary Commission.

The nine-member commission reviews allegations of judicial misconduct. The commission's Office of Special Counsel receives, investigates, and prosecutes formal charges regarding judicial behavior.

The Louisiana Supreme Court announced Whitney's appointment Monday.

The court says Whitney received undergraduate and graduate degrees from Nicholls State before getting a law degree from Florida State in 1992.

The Louisiana Supreme Court is giving its justices an extra month to weigh in on a debate over naming the court's next chief justice.

Chief Justice Catherine "Kitty" Kimball had set a July 31 deadline for the justices to file briefs on which colleague is the "oldest in point of service" under terms of the state constitution.

Kimball amended her order on Friday to move the deadline to Aug. 31.

A federal judge has scheduled a status conference to discuss a Louisiana Supreme Court justice's bid to block her colleagues from debating and voting on whether she is entitled to become the court's next chief justice.

U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan scheduled Thursday afternoon's conference at the request of attorneys for Justice Bernette Johnson. The meeting is closed to the public.

Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Catherine "Kitty" Kimball says the state's code of judicial conduct prohibits her from meeting with a group of community leaders to discuss their concerns about the court's impending debate over naming Kimball's successor.

Several supporters of Justice Bernette Johnson, who sued last week to block her colleagues from debating and voting on whether she is entitled to become the next chief justice, had asked to meet this week with Kimball.