inside: bar luncheonlouisiana, is a contributing writer. he is the lafourche parish district...

Inside:What is an authentic act?Interview with Rolando UrbinaAhead of his time: Judge Lewis S. Doherty III

Bar LuncheonJOINT LUNCHEON WITH

BRAWA, fBA (BR CHAPTER)& MARTINET SOCIETY:

WEdNESdAY, fEB. 17

February 20162 Around the Bar

February 2016 Around the Bar 3

On the cover:

Featured on the cover of the February 2016 issue of Around

the Bar magazine are the presidents of the Baton Rouge

Bar Association—Jeanne C. Comeaux, the Federal Bar

Association (Baton Rouge Chapter)—Christopher K. Jones,

and the Baton Rouge Association of Women Attorneys—Jan

Reeves. Rolando Urbina, president of the Louis A. Martinet

Legal Society, was unable to attend the photo shoot. The

Bar Luncheon scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2016, will

be a joint meeting of all four organizations. Please join us!

Cover photography by Pamela Labbe

insideFeBRUARy 2016

4 Contributors

5 Letter from the president “Q: What can the BRBA do for your practice? A: Amazing things!”

By JeAnne C. COMeAUx

6 February bar luncheon

7 Tales from the bar side “Kindred souls” By vinCenT P. FORniAS

8 “Authentic act requires physical presence of notary and witness” By MARK d. PLAiSAnCe

11 West’s Jury verdicts

12 “Ahead of his time: Judge Lewis S. doherty iii reflects on his involvement effecting change in Baton Rouge” By RACheL L. eMAnUeL, Ph.d.

15 Gail’s grammar

16 “An interview with Rolando Urbina” By Wendy SheA

20 Bar news

22 Foundation footnotes

Volunteers are needed to help with a monthly

law CluBfor youth in the gardere area.

We need lawyer volunteers to help with a law club for middle and high school students in the Gardere/South Burbank area. You will work with teens as they learn more about the field of law.

To volunteer or for more information, please contact Lynn S. Haynes at [email protected] or 225-214-5564.

The “Future Legal Eagles” law club is funded by a grant from the South Burbank Crime Prevention and Development District.

CORReCTiOn: The January 2016 issue’s cover was incorrectly identified as the photograph of Jeannie Frey Rhodes. While Rhodes provided photo editing services, the original photograph was the work of Linda nichols Photography in Atlanta, Georgia.

Read an interview

with Rolando

Urbina, president

of the Louis A.

Martinet Legal

Society, on page

16 of this issue.


AROUnd The BAR supports participation of the membership in its production. We encourage the submission of articles and letters to the editor. Articles should be less than 1,800 words, typed and single-spaced. A Word file should be emailed as an attachment to: [email protected].

For advertising information call Pamela Labbe at 225-214-5560. display ads should be high-resolution attachments (.PdF), and classified ads as text only. Please email all ad artwork to [email protected]. Publication of any advertisement shall not be considered an endorsement of the product or service involved. The editor reserves the right to reject any advertisement, article or letter.

Copyright © by the Baton Rouge Bar Association. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited. To request permission or for more information, contact Pamela Labbe at 225-214-5560 or [email protected].

Pamela Labbe is the communications coordinator of the Baton Rouge Bar Association.

vincent P. Fornias, an assistant editor of Around the Bar, is a solo practitioner whose practice focus is alternative dispute resolution.

contributors

Gail S. Stephenson, an assistant editor of Around the Bar, is the director of legal analysis and writing and an associate

professor of law at Southern University Law Center.

All Rights Reserved • Copyright ©2016

Published by the Baton Rouge Bar AssociationP. O. Box 2241, Baton Rouge, LA 70821

Phone (225) 344-4803 • Fax (225) 344-4805 • www.brba.org

The Baton Rouge Bar Association will be the beacon for the full spectrum of the legal profession by fostering professional courtesy;

increasing the diversity of the bar and the participation of under-represented groups; maintaining a sound financial base; enhancing

and developing member services and community outreach; and promoting and improving the image of the profession.

OFFiCeRSJeanne C. Comeaux, President ....................................381-8051Karli G. Johnson, President-elect ................................389-3704Linda Law Clark, Treasurer .............................................346-8716Amy C. Lambert, Secretary ............................................381-0283Robert J. Burns Jr., Past President ...............................767-7730

diReCTORS AT LARGeShelton dennis Blunt Melissa M. CressonLauren Smith hensgens Christopher K. JonesMelanie newkome Jones david Abboud Thomas

ex OFFiCiOSDanielle Clapinski • Kara B. Kantrow • Robin Krumholt

Eric Lockridge • Jodi Bauer Loup • Matthew Meiners Judge Pamela Moses-Laramore • Anne Richey MylesDebra Parker • Michael Platte • Michelle Sorrells

ABA deLeGATe Preston J. Castille Jr.

BAnKRUPTCy SeCTiOneric Lockridge ............................................................................Chair

BUSineSS/CORPORATe LAW SeCTiOnMichael Platte ......................................................................Co-chairMatthew Meiners ...............................................................Co-chair

COnSTRUCTiOn LAW SeCTiOnJodi Bauer Loup ........................................................................ChairCharles hardie .................................................................. Past chair

FAMiLy LAW SeCTiOnAnne Richey Myles ...................................................................ChairJennifer M. Moisant ......................................................Chair-electvincent Saffiotti .................................................................SecretaryJoanna B. hynes ............................................................... Past chair

PUBLiC LAW PRACTiCe SeCTiOndanielle Clapinski .....................................................................ChairChristopher K. Odinet .................................................... Past chair

WORKeRS’ COMPenSATiOn SeCTiOnRobin L. Krumholt .............................................................Co-Chairdebra T. Parker ....................................................................Co-ChairMichelle M. Sorrells ...........................................................Co-ChairJudge Pamela Moses-Laramore ...................................Co-Chair

yOUnG LAWyeRS SeCTiOn OFFiCeRSKara B. Kantrow, Chair .....................................................769-7473Loren Shanklin Fleshman, Chair-elect ......................223-6333Francisca M. M. Comeaux, Secretary .........................376-0216Scott M. Levy, Past Chair ................................................299-3059

yOUnG LAWyeRS SeCTiOn COUnCiL

BATOn ROUGe BAR ASSOCiATiOn STAFF

Ann K. Gregorie, executive director 214-5563Kelsie Bourgeois , executive Assistant 344-4803donna Buuck, youth education Coordinator 214-5556Caroline Cooper, Pro Bono Coordinator 214-5558R. Lynn S. haynes, Asst. Teen Court Coordinator 214-5564Robin Kay, Pro Bono Coordinator 214-5561Susan Kelley, Office Manager 214-5559Pamela Labbe, Communications Coordinator 214-5560Carole McGehee, Lawyer Referral Coordinator 214-5557Julie Ourso, Bookkeeper 214-5572

PUBLiCATiOnS COMMiTTee

editor: ed Walters — 236-3636Asst. eds.: Joseph J. Cefalu iii — 381-3176 vincent P. Fornias — 769-4553 Grant J. Guillot — 346-1461 Gail S. Stephenson — 771-4900, ext. 216 Art vingiello — 751-1751Graphic design / Ad Sales: Pamela Labbe — 214-5560

Gracella SimmonsRebecca WisbarJeff WittenbrinkRobert A. Woosley

Katherine dampfKathryn dufreneRachel L. emanuelLane ewingJohn FennerGreg Gouner

Ashley n. ButlerJordan Fairclotherin Sayes Kenny

Lexi holingadianne M. irvineMelanie n. Jonesdale LeeJohn McLindonChristopher K. Odinet

Rachel L. emanuel, Ph.d., director of communications and development support for the Southern University Law Center, is a member of the Publications Committee.

Jeanne C. Comeaux, a partner in the Baton Rouge office of Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, LLP, is the 2016 president of the Baton Rouge Bar Association.

Chelsea Gomez CaswellKellye R. Grinton

Pierce & Associates, l.l.c. Providing Service for the Legal Profession

Civil & Criminal InvestigationsAccident Investigation • Surveillance

Witness Statements • Service of Process

JaCk PIerCe

Phone: (225) 642-4030Fax: (225) 642-4009

eMaIL: [email protected]

Mark d. Plaisance, an appellate attorney who practices in Thibodaux, Louisiana, is a contributing writer. he is the Lafourche Parish district indigent

defender, and was a Baker City Court Judge from 2002 to 2008.

Wendy Shea, an associate professor of legal analysis and writing at Southern University Law Center, is a contributing writer.


letter from the presidentBy JeAnne C. COMeAUx

Q: What can the BRBA do for your practice?A: Amazing things!

Jeanne C. Comeaux

When I first started out in practice nearly 22 years ago, I didn’t know how to get to the courthouse, much less how to conduct myself once I was there. I knew few lawyers outside of Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, and even fewer judges. I had accepted a position in BSW’s Commercial Litigation Section, and I was understandably terrified.

Perhaps the best advice I received all those years ago came from then-Breazealian Christine Lipsey, who went on to be the first female president of our Bar Association. She strongly suggested that I attend the Bench Bar Conference in 1995. When I arrived at the conference, I will admit that I felt a little out of place, mainly because

everyone else knew each other well and seemed to be good friends. But by the middle of the first day, I felt like one of the gang, and I made friends with fellow attorneys, opposing counsel and several judges who, up until that time, I found unreachable and intimidating. That all changed at that Bench Bar Conference. Putting names with faces, as well as eating, drinking and dancing together, demystifies and unifies people. It was liberating for me, and I am proud to say that I have not missed one Bench Bar Conference since 1995. I urge all of you to mark your calendars every year and make room in your CLE budgets to take advantage of this truly unique and wonderful bar event.

Soon after my first Bench Bar experience, I joined the Bench Bar Conference Committee and even got to chair the conference in 1999. This involvement lead to other opportunities, such as co-chairing the BRBA’s 75th Anniversary Celebration, and serving as a member of our Board of Directors for the past decade. Being elected your 2016 president is certainly icing on a wonderful cake.

Spring 2016 is busy with bar activities, and may offer just the right fit for you. The BRBA offers a multitude of ways that you can custom-fit the type of involvement you would enjoy, and the kind of involvement that would benefit your practice the most.

• PleasejoinusWednesday,Feb.17,forajointluncheonwiththeLouisA.MartinetLegalSociety,theFederalBar Association (Baton Rouge chapter), and the Baton Rouge Association of Women Attorneys in celebration ofBlackHistoryMonth.

• VolunteertobeapartoftheMockTrialCompetitionbyactingasacompetitionjudgeFeb.26-27atthe19thJudicial District Court.

• JoinustoanswerlegalquestionsattheThirstforJusticelegalcliniceachWednesdayandThursday3-5p.m.You will be trained in advance and will have ample support at the clinic.

• AssistuswiththeSelf-HelpResourceCenteratFamilyCourtonTuesdaysandThursdaysfrom10a.m.to2p.m. Again, you will be fully trained and have ample support.

• JointheEasterEggstravaganzaCommitteeanddonateyourtimeassistingwithEasterEggHuntsatinner-cityelementary schools or donate plastic Easter eggs filled with individually wrapped candy.

• Join any one of the numerous practice-area sections of the BRBA. This is an excellentway tomeet theattorneys with whom you practice most frequently.

These are but a few of the copious projects and activities your Baton Rouge Bar Association is working on through Easter. Please feel free to contact any of us to discuss other ways for you to get involved. Think twice before you toss a BRBA invitation in the trash, and instead, join us. It will enhance your practice, and I promise you will not regret it.


february bar luncheon

BRBA to hold joint meeting with BRAWA,FBA(BRchapter)andMartinetSociety

PLeASe COMPLeTe ThiS FORM And FAx ThiS enTiRe PAGe TO The BRBA AT (225) 344-4805 By nOOn ThURSdAy, FeB. 11, 2016.

Bar Roll No.__________________________

Name____________________________________________________ Firm__________________________________________

Address_________________________________________________________________________________________________

City ________________________________________________________ State ____________ Zip _______________________

Phone ___________________________________________________ Fax ___________________________________________

Email ___________________________________

LUNCHEON — YES, register me for the FEBRUARY BAR LUNCHEON at Ruffino’s Catering at de La Ronde hall, 320 Third St., which will take place WedneSdAy, FeB. 17, 2016, at 11:45 a.m. at $30 per BRBA, BRAWA, FBA (BR chapter) or Martinet member. Guests who are non-members may attend for $40 per person. SPACe iS LiMiTed. Please reserve your seat by sending in this form to Kelsie Bourgeois at the BRBA by Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016, at noon. Fax to 225-344-4805 or email to [email protected]. Cancellations must be made by noon Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016. “no shows” will be invoiced. Online registration is also available at www.BRBA.org.

❏

Please check applicable affiliation: ❏ BRBA ❏ BRAWA ❏ FBA (BR chapter) ❏ Martinet ❏ guest

The BRBA will hold its FebruaryBarLuncheonWednesday,Feb.17,2016, at Ruffino’s Catering at De La Ronde Hall, 320 Third St. This month’s luncheon is a joint meeting of the BRBA, the Baton Rouge Association of Women Attorneys, theFederalBarAssociation(BatonRouge chapter), and the Louis A. MartinetLegalSociety.

The luncheon speakers will be the two newest judges on the bench—Baton Rouge City Court Judge Tarvald Smith and Magistrate Judge Erin Wilder-Doomes of the U.S.DistrictCourtfortheMiddleDistrictofLouisiana.

Elected to office in October 2015, Smith is the vice president of the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and a public defender in Baker City Court. Smith is a former prosecutor for the East Baton Rouge District Attorney’s office, and he worked for the Attorney General’s office. Smith replaced Judge Alex “Brick” Wall, who retired in 2015.

Prior to her appointment as Magistrate Judge for the U.S.District Court of the MiddleDistrict of Louisiana, Wilder-Doomes practiced law with Stewart Robbins & Brown from 2010 to 2015. Previously, Wilder-Doomes was counsel with the law firm Phelps Dunbar LLP in the

commercial litigation section of the Baton Rouge office. Wilder-Doomes replacedU.S.Magistrate Judge StephenRiedlinger, who retired in 2015 after serving in that position since 1986.

Members of the BRBA, BRAWA, FBA–BR chapter andLouisA.MartinetLegalSocietymayattendtheFebruaryBar Luncheon at Ruffino’s Catering at De La Ronde Hall, 320 Third St., for $30 per member. Guest price is $40 per person. Please RSVP to Kelsie Bourgeois by noonThursday,Feb.11,2016.“Noshows”willbe invoiced.CancellationsmustbemadebyThursday,Feb.11,2016,atnoon.Faxtheformbelowto225-344-4805oremailitto [email protected].

If paying by credit card, please include the following:

Nameoncreditcard:___________________________________

Type of card: (circle one): MCVISAAmExpressDiscover

CardNumber:_________________________________________

Exp.Date:______________Securitycode:__________________

To register for this luncheonand pay by credit card,

go to www.BRBA.org, select the EVENTS tab, then click on LIST

and choose the appropriate meeting.

Judge Tarvald Smith Magistrate Judge erin Wilder-doomes


tales from the bar sideBy vinCenT P. FORniAS Kindredsouls

David Rubin reports that while sifting through the myriad of papers and mementos kept by his late father, he ran across a keepsake that confirmed a tale often retold by him at family gatherings.

Perhaps we should digress briefly for those of you too young to recall and appreciate David (andMike’s)dad. Alvin Rubin, the son of Russian immigrants, was a distinguished member of the local bar, a patriarch in the rootstockofthefirmthatultimatelybegatourpresentKeanMiller,longbeforehewasappointedtothefederalbenchin the Eastern District. In the late 1970s he was ascended byPresidentJimmyCartertotheFifthCircuit,wherehebecame among the most respected appellate judges in the nation. His deep devotion to Baton Rouge and its lawyers shone through quite often, as when he chose to locate his chambers in our city, where he remained a loyal member of the BRBA until the day he died.

The story centers around a letter received by Judge Rubin shortly before Passover in 1984. It was from a federalinmatesurnamedFinkelsteinandwaspostmarkedfrom Albany, N.Y. Apparently rummaging through thelist of Louisiana judges, the author reached his Eureka!

moment when he spotted the name “Rubin.” Assuming he had found a member of The Tribe—or as Judge Rubin described it, a “co-religionist,” he pled his case sprinkled with just the right dose of kosher guilt:

Dear Judge Rubin:I was put in jail going to Canada to sell Pope John

II (sic) buttons and had more buttons than the law says I can bring into Canada. Then I was turned over to the State of N.Y. and then to the F.B.I. I have diabetes. Please save me. I am going to be sent to Lafayette, Louisiana. I do not want to go to Lafayette. I will kill myself first. And as a diabetic, it is not hard. As one Jewish man to another, please look into this. Otherwise, I will have to kill myself. Hope you and your family have a happy Passover holiday. Please look. I will kill myself.

Apparently Judge Rubin, though quite impressed with Finkelstein’s enterprising ecumenical Chutzpah,enjoyed the Passover with his family and ignored the entreaty, sagely choosing to risk the inmate’s threatened insulin demise.


“Substantial compliance” may no longer be sufficient to meet the authentic act requirements for a notarial act. AccordingtoaFebruary2014FirstCircuitopinion,actualpresence and temporal witnessing of the declarant are required, at least in regard to the transfer of real property. In Eschete v. Eschete,1 the court held an attorney and witness in an adjoining room who observed the signing of an authentic act through an open door were not “present” at the signing of the document, making the executed act null.

In Eschete, the husband signed an act of donation transferring his one-half interest in the parties’ matrimonial home to his wife, from whom he sought a divorce. Eschete signed the document at the office of his wife’s attorney, executing the document in the physical presence of one witness, while the attorney (notary) and a second witness observed Eschete through an open interior office door.

The trial court found that Eschete’s writing was not executed before the attorney-notary and that Eschete was not in the “presence” of the second witness when

Authentic act requires physicalpresence of notary and witness By MARK d. PLAiSAnCe

he actually signed the document. The appellate court affirmed, 4-1.

Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure article 1541 requires that donations inter vivos be done by authentic act under the penalty of absolute nullity, unless otherwise expressly permitted by law. An “authentic act” is defined by Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure article 1833 as a “writing executed before a notary public or other officer authorized to perform that function, in the presence of two witnesses, and signed by each party who executed it, by each witness, and by each notary public before whom it was executed.” “[A] material deviation from the manner of execution prescribed by the codal article governing authentic acts will be fatal to the act which purports on its face to be authentic.”2 The writing need not be executed at one time or place, or before the same notary public or in the presence of the same witnesses, provided that each party who executes it does so before a notary public or other officer authorized to perform that function, and in the presence of two witnesses and each


party, each witness, and each notary public signs it.3 In Eschete, the attorney-notary was at least 12 feet

away in another room. A second witness was in another room but — as did the attorney — said that he or she saw Eschete execute the property transfer. Although in proximity and able to “see” the declarant, the law requires a temporal presence to validate the act. The trial court found, and the appellate court acknowledged, that the ability to “see” the declarant was not the same as temporally witnessing the act. The temporal relationship of declarant, notary and witnesses is defined to encompass sensory awareness as well as physical proximity.

Although a criminal matter, in State v. Interiano,4 the Supreme Court, relying upon the necessary presence of witnesses and a notary at the signing of a will, defined “presence” to mean:

something more than being in the immediate vicinity; it is the viewing or awareness of an act that gives legal significance to the term. Such a construction is appropriate, as, in the past, Louisiana courts have interpreted “presence” in other legal contexts as encompassing more than mere physical proximity. See, e.g., In re Succession of Smith, 01-0930 (La. 5 Cir. 1/15/02), 806 So.2d 909 (statutory requirement that testator must sign will in presence of two attesting witnesses and notary interpreted to mean

that each witness and notary must see the testator sign).5

Eschete is further consistent with the 1949 Louisiana Supreme Court decision in Hardin v. Williams, where the court phrased the issue: “Does the meaning of the phrase ‘before a notary public in the presence of two witnesses’ require the notary to observe the signing of a document in order for it to qualify as an authentic act?”6 In upholding the decision of the First Circuit, the Supreme Courtanswered its own question in the affirmative, particularly noting the notary’s testimony that he did not “actually see” the donor sign the document, but that he remained in a separate room.7Attheappellatelevel,theFirstCircuitnoted that “as a matter of law, . . . unless the notary and attesting witnesses are able to visually observe each other and the donor during the execution of the act of donation inter vivos, the instrument is not entitled to the status of authentic act.”8

Because “substantial compliance” is no longer sufficient, in Eschete, the First Circuit noted its 1949opinion of Finance Security Company v. Williams,9 may no longer support validation of an authentic act. In Finance Security, the court of appeal found a chattel mortgage document to be an authentic act, even though the two witnesses were not present in the room at the time


one of the parties signed the act, but were called in by the notary to attest to the act. Finance Security is easily distinguishable for at least two reasons: (1) there was no question the document was signed before a notary with the witnesses called in by the notary while the parties were still present; and (2) the document at issue was a chattel mortgage as opposed to the inter vivos donation of a house and lot. This last distinction is legally important. Even if not an authentic act, the chattel mortgage in Finance Security could be executed by act under private signature and enforced by executory process. Ford Motor Company Credit Co. v. Williams.10 Meanwhile, a donation ofimmovable property by act under private signature is null. Gabert v. St. Tammany Yacht Club.11

In the end, Eschete teaches that “substantial compliance” is not enough — that “presence” requires more than just being in the same building; it requires the notary and witnesses to be in the same physical location as the declarant and to visually observe the execution of signatures. Otherwise, at least regarding the transfer of real property, the act is not “authentic” and the donation is null.

1 12-2059 (La. App. 1 Cir. 2/27/14), 142 So.3d 985.2 Hardin v. Williams, 468 So.2d 1302, 1304 (La. App. 1 Cir. 1985), aff’d., 478 So.2d 1214 (La. 1985). 3 Brumfield v. Brumfield, 457 So.2d 763 (La. App. 1 Cir. 1984). 4 03-1760 (La. 2/13/04), 868 So.2d 9.5 Id. at 16.6 478 S.2d at 1215.7 Id. at 1216. 8 468 So.2d at 1304.9 42 So.2d 92 (La. App. 1 Cir. 1949).10 225 So.2d 717, 720 (La. 1969).11 116 So.2d 667, 669 (La. 1928).

PLEASE NOTE:The BRBA has scheduled TWO MORE WEEKS

(Feb. 15 - 19 and Feb. 22 - 26) of photo sessions at the BRBA office for any BRBA member

who wishes for her / his photo to be included in the BRBA PHOTO COMPOSITE.

Photographers from RCL Portrait Design will be on hand to photograph BRBA members for FREE. Photo

packages will be available for purchase. Set your appointment directly through RCL Portrait Design.

Call 1-800-580-5562 today!

For general information, call the BRBA office at 225-344-4803. The BRBA is not setting appointments.


Ahead of his time Judge Lewis S. Doherty III reflects on his involvement

effecting change in Baton Rouge By RACheL L. eMAnUeL, Ph.d.

Retired Judge Lewis Doherty III was involved in two significant desegregation issues during his time in public service. As city councilman, he played a role in the settlement of a 1953 bus boycott to fight discrimination in segregated seating on city buses. In 1961, Doherty recalls being the first Baton Rouge City Court judge to desegregate seating in his courtroom. In this interview, he discusses his involvement in these history-making events, as well as his views on diversity in the legal profession.

A Baton Rouge native and longtime resident born in 1926, Doherty at the age of 26 was the youngest person elected to Baton Rouge City Council in a city-wide election. Doherty, whose family had been involved in politics, served one term and decided he preferred the law topolitics.AftergraduatingfromLSULawSchoolhewasadmitted to the bar in 1951 and practiced for about 10 years. He was elected city judge in 1960 and was sworn in in 1961.

Judge Doherty was elected judge in the 19th Judicial District Court, where he was sworn in in 1966, and served until 1984. After retirement, he was appointed to serve ad hoc and pro tempore on the Louisiana Supreme Court, the LouisianaFirstCircuitCourtofAppeal,andvariousstatedistrict courts, including the 24th JDC.

ATB: Black residents in Baton Rouge led by the Rev. T. J. Jemison staged what historians believe was the first bus boycott of the Civil Rights Movement on June 20, 1953. What did you set out to do in the negotiation with Rev. Jemison, then pastor of Mount Zion First Baptist Church, regarding the resolution of the 1953 bus boycott?

JLSD: We had to fashion a settlement. The state required segregation, so we were not to completely disregard the law. We faced one thing: The law of the state required segregation.

ATB: The Baton Rouge City Council agreed to a compromise negotiated with Rev. Jemison, then pastor of Mount Zion First Baptist Church, which ended the boycott after eight days. What was the settlement?

JLSD: To comply with state law, the first two seats were reserved for whites and the last seat for blacks. All seats in between were designated for anyone on a first-come, first-served basis.

ATB: How long did it take to reach the settlement?

JLSD: We made it within an hour. At that time we used the big courthouse, which contained the council chamber. I remember the room usually sat about 100 people. Rev. Jemison appeared and there were mostly people of color in the room.

The only people not there were representatives from the bus company. The meeting was peaceful. The settlement complied with state law.

ATB: What were your feelings about Rev. Jemison’s stance in supporting a boycott because of the unfair treatment of him and other black people by the city-run bus service?


JLSD: Jemison was not a hard man to get along with. I thought he was a good man. He was just trying to get the best he could for his people.

He appealed to the right side of the argument. He did not come in angry and boisterous. He was a Christian minister. He kept his cool. About 80 to 90 percent of the people in the room were with Rev. Jemison. He offered a

humane way of looking at the situation. If a person paid his fare, why shouldn’t he be able to take a seat that is empty. And that logic resonated with all of us on the City Council. He didn’t mention breaking the law.

ATB: Are you aware that there were those who felt that Rev. Jemison did not serve their best interest in the compromise?

JLSD: No, that [information]never got back to me. But I do know that white bus drivers didn’t like that [compromise]. They were not happy with it. However, I never spoke to the drivers about their opposition. But, I was told by others that they were not pleased.

ATB: How did you feel about segregation then, and who influenced your opinion?

JLSD: I was brought up in a segregated society. There was always that prevailing legality “separate, but equal.” I know

damn well it was not equal, and that offended me.My dad was way ahead of his time. Youmay not

know this, but there was a lot of racial segregation in the military. He served for two years in WWII, which wasn’t desegregated until 1948 by President [Harry] Truman. I felt that the law should provide the same for everyone — equal rights.

ATB: Would you say that you were a man ahead of his time with that thinking?

JLSD: I was the first judge to hire a black law clerk. Jimmy Simien was my law clerk for a year. There were not many black attorneys then, fewer than 10 in Baton Rouge and not more than 200 total in the Louisiana bar in that time. Now,Iwouldsuspectthatthereare1,500ormore.There

were very few women lawyers that I remember. In those days, big firms — those of 8 to 10 lawyers — wouldn’t hirewomenlawyers.Myfirst10yearsasjudge,Ifoundwomen lawyers made good law clerks. I hired women as law clerks, even some who were leaders in their class. That was back in the ’60s and ’70s. It has been an interesting transition.

ATB: Do you feel you were able to break the color barrier because you were a judge then, rather than just a lawyer?

JLSD: One thing that rubbed me the wrong way is that whitelawyerswereaddressedasMr.andblacklawyers,by their first names. Treat everybody equally.

ATB: What were your dealings with black clients as a lawyer?

JLSD: I was a 1951 law graduate and for the first nine years, I practiced law. Forty percent ofmy clientswereblack citizens. I did civil cases and some criminal; most were civil cases. I didn’t do much criminal work.

I remember a case involving a bar in Eden Park, “Do Drop In.” He [the owner] didn’t have a big business, but needed legal representation. I did a lot of wills, suing someone or someone suing them. I was paid in mustard greens, if they [the clients] didn’t have the money.

ATB: How did your reputation as a legal practitioner fare in the black community?

JLSD: Most of my clients at that time, when I was a33-year-old lawyer, 40 to 50 percent were black people. They liked me and I liked them.

Forexample,whenI ranforcity judge, Iwasn’tonthe black ballot. I wasn’t on the black ballot, because first: I didn’t have any money; and secondly, I didn’t believe in paying the money.

The precinct at the Peter Nasca Garage in SouthBaton Rouge had 1,200 registered voters, at least 1,100 were African Americans. I got 300 votes in that precinct and without being on the black ballot.

The fact that I won by 500 votes in that election meant that blacks elected me. They knew I was a pretty good man.

I am proud of my activities as a public official, because I wanted to do the right thing toward everyone, regardless of color or equal standing in the community. And when I knew I was doing the right thing, I was fearless.

ATB: Describe how as a city judge in January 1961 you desegregated seating in your courtroom.

JLSD: I was sworn in Jan. 1, 1961. Sometime shortly after—withinamonth—MurphyBell,alocalcivilrights

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advocate, motioned to quash a misdemeanor against his client, citing lack of due process because of a segregated courtroom.

I personally did not see any reason for the courtrooms to be segregated. We set the date for the hearing. I told my bailiff to be absolutely sure that my courtroom was desegregated on that date.

So when Bell came before me and made the argument regarding the segregated courtroom, I interrupted him and stated that the facts upon which you base your argument are not correct and motioned for him to look around to see that the courtroom was not segregated.

He was very, very surprised. In fact, he stated, “Judge, that’s not the way it’s always been.” I said, “I know. But that’s the way it is now.” The case was dismissed.

ATB: Was this case involving the 1961 civil rights case, handled by Bell, State of Louisiana v. B. Elton Cox? [The segregated conditions in the courtroom denying a fair trial in violation of the Sixth and 14th Amendments was one of four causes assigned by Bell and other plaintiff attorneys for setting aside the conviction in a 1961 civil rights case, State v. Cox.]

JLSD: I don’t remember anything about such a case. I do know that the best part about it [the Jan. 1, 1961, misdemeanor hearing] was there was no publicity. I was very happy there was no publicity for two reasons. Numberone,Iwasviolatingstatelaw.Secondly,Ididn’twant any controversy as a young judge. If there had been, I might have had some bad things happen to me.

I know I was violating the law, but I knew I was doing the right thing.

It was about four years later that the federal court required all courts to be integrated. In fact, when Judge Luther Cole swore me in as a district court judge in 1966, all courts were integrated as required by federal law.

ATB: What will be your legacy?

JLSD: I don’t know, but an older lawyer once told me that my reputation is always that I was fair. I may not have been the smartest judge that sat on the bench, but I treated all with respect and fairness.

That’s my legacy—and few had any doubt that I would do the right things by everyone.


teen Court of greater Baton rougeneeds attorneys to volunteer to assist with the program.

To find out more, contact Donna Buuck at 225-214-5556 or [email protected] or R. Lynn Smith Haynes at 225-214-5564 or [email protected].

Meeting RooM Facilities available FoR Depositions

& MeDiationsBRBA members can reserve conference rooms for $50 per day ($25 per half day) per room. Non-members receive a rate of

$250 per day ($125 per half day) per room.Video conferencing is available for

an additional fee.

To book space or for more info., contact Kelsie at 225-344-4803 or [email protected].

In 2001 I wrote the following about the preferred spelling for electronic

mail: “The authorities are divided on whether e-mail or E-mail is preferable. (I

personally prefer e-mail.) Either hyphenated version is better than email, which is

a synonym for enamel and also means a bluish-green color.”

English usage is continually evolving, and now the choices are email and

e-mail. The AP Stylebook spells it without a hyphen, so you’ll see it that way in

newspapers and Around the Bar. The 20th edition of the Bluebook, published in

2015, and the 16th edition of the Chicago Manual of Style, published in 2010, both

give the hyphenated version, e-mail, as preferable. If I’m still writing this column

15 years from now, I expect email to have prevailed, but for now, the choice

between e-mail and email is up to you.

Send suggestions for future Gail’s Grammar columns to Gail Stephenson at [email protected], or call Gail at 225.771-4900 x 216.

Gail’s Grammar

Volunteer writers needed to submit substantive legal articles

for publication in future Around the Bar issues.

Contact Pamela Labbe at [email protected] 225-214-5560.


RolandoUrbinaisthe18thpresidentoftheLouisA.Martinet Legal Society. In that role, his focus has beenon providing services and support to the community. Rolando recently talked with Around the Bar about being displacedafterHurricaneKatrina,hisreturntoLouisianafor law school, the importance of participating in both bar association and pro bono activities, and the role he has carved for himself in the Baton Rouge legal community. In 2015, Rolando was recognized as Pro Bono Attorney of the Year by the Young Lawyers Section of Louisiana State Bar Association.

Rolando graduated from Xavier University with adegree in history in 2005. After graduation, Rolando got a job as an executive with the Boy Scouts of America, working with the youth in all of the housing projects in NewOrleans,NewOrleansEastandinSt.BernardParishareas. That position lasted only a few months, until August 2005,whenHurricaneKatrinahitNewOrleans.

ATB: What did you do after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast? RU: I was displaced. A week after the hurricane, myfamily and I left for Texas. About a week after we made it to San Antonio, Texas, a pastor in Indianapolis, Indiana, flew me up there for a job interview, and I ended up staying in Indianapolis for the next three years.

ATB: What did you do in Indiana?

RU:Iwashiredasayouthdirectorandasagang-relationsliaisonforMt.CarmelChurch.Therehadbeenaninfluxof gangs and gang members from Chicago moving into an area of Indianapolis, and my job was to help create opportunities and provide resources for young people in the area.

AninterviewwithRolandoUrbina By Wendy SheA

VITALSTATISTICSName: RolandoUrbina

Age: 35 Family: Courtney(wife)andMaya(daughter)

Education:SouthernUniversityLawCenter,2011;XavierUniversity,2005

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When I started the job, we had about 75 to 80 young people in the youth program. By the time I left, we had morethan400.Mostofthenewmemberswerenotkidsfrom the church family, but they were kids from the neighborhood.

We worked on a very limited budget but we had a basketball program, after-school tutoring, ACT and SAT prep classes and other youth programming, such as lock-ins, youth church and bible study. There was a part of the church designated for me and my kids, and after church on Sundays. We would get together and watch Indianapolis Colts football games. At the same time, there would be another 20 kids in the other room playing basketball. These kids needed somewhere to go, and I preferred they be at the church with me in a safe environment rather than somewhere else. I would open the church and give them a place to be whenever they needed it. They could play basketball or just hang out.

In our programming, I pushed education. That is one of the reasons I went back to law school. I told them that I wanted to be a lawyer, and I needed to go back to school. I wanted them to finish high school and go to college. I felt like I needed to be that example for them.

We had a tutoring program that prepared students to take the ACT and SAT. We also had programs that exposed the kids to different types of jobs. We would try to get them to visit and shadow different professionals so that they could see what types of options were out there. We also had a special empowerment program for the girls in the youth program. I also did a lot of work educating youngpeopleaboutAIDSandHIV.

Usually,itwasjustmeandthekids.Ididnothavemanyvolunteers, but I enjoyed it. In fact, I still visit Indianapolis regularly. I’m still connected with this program.

ATB: Why did you decide to come back to Louisiana for law school?

RU:IloveLouisiana.Itishome.Istillhavefamilyinthestate.Mymomanddadweredisplacedandnowlive inTexas, but my sisters and brothers live here. I came back, numberone,becauseIknewthattheSouthernUniversityLaw Center would be a great fit for me. Second, during Hurricane Katrina, we lost our house, and one of thereasons I wanted to go to law school was to help people from Louisiana who were displaced and lost their property and their homes. I wanted to understand that process.

ATB: What have you been doing since you graduated from law school in 2011?

RU: I clerked in the 19th JudicialDistrict Court for ayear and a half. After my clerkship ended, I was appointed as an assistant special master in the State of Louisiana v. Abbot Laboratories lawsuit. I was in that position for about a year. During that time, I opened my own practice,

theLawOfficesofRolandoUrbina&Associates.Forthepast two years I was as an assistant public defender, and more recently I accepted a position as an assistant city prosecutor in Baton Rouge.

ATB: What kind of work do you do at your law firm?

RU:Ididmostlycriminaldefenseandcivilrightscasesaswell as personal injury, successions, and family law work. I also do pro bono work as much as possible.

ATB: When did you decide to get involved in bar association activities?

RU: I started my first year of law school. My mentorencouraged me to do as much community service as I could and to get a feel for different areas of law by talking to other lawyers about their experiences, their training and theirspecialties.Ireallyenjoyedit.Fromthebeginning,IwasinvolvedwiththeLouisA.MartinetLegalSociety,theBaton Rouge Bar Association and the Louisiana State Bar Association.

ATB: Why did you decide to stay involved with these associations and activities?

RU:Istillenjoyit,especiallytheprobonoworkwithboththeLouisA.MartinetLegalSocietyandtheBatonRougeBar.IalsoreallyenjoyLawDayand,ofcourse,BellyUpwith the Bar. These all provide releases from the everyday grind of practicing law. It is great to have camaraderie with people I knew from law school and with those I see in court every day. It is an outlet, a fun extra-curricular.

ATB: What is your role at the Louis A. Martinet Legal Society?

RU: I am the 18th president as well as the Pro BonoCommittee chairperson. I’ve chaired that committee for the past four years.

I’m really proud of our pro bono program. Right now, we handle divorce and custody cases, SSI cases and child in need of care cases. Recently, we started a partnership with other bar organizations and the FederalMiddleDistrictCourt to take pro bono cases for people whose 1983 civil rights cases have made it through a summary judgment hearing. We are also making plans to handle more pro bono criminal cases. We’ve also been able to raise funds so that we can provide a small stipend to help new attorneys cover the basic costs of providing pro bono services. This gives attorneys an opportunity to both give back and to gain valuable experience.

We have been recognized for our service and programming. We won the Louisiana State Bar Association’s Guardian of Diversity award in 2015, and we cameinsecondfortheNationalBarAssociationchapter


of the year. I was also voted Assistant Deputy Regional DirectoroftheNationalBarAssociationforRegion5.

I’m proud of the fact that our paid-membership enrollment has increased almost 35 percent during my term as president.

ATB: What are some of the other programs the Louis A. Martinet Legal Society is working on?

RU: For theOctober andNovember 2015 election,wepartnered with some community organizations to provide transportation to local polling places. We want all people to have the opportunity to vote. We wanted to see voter turnout as high as possible. We were able to provide rides to over 200 voters.

We’ve also reinstated our mentoring program. This program partners interested law students with attorney-mentors. The program has been a success in the past because the attorney-mentors helped the law students prepare for the practice of law.

Additionally, we give scholarships totaling $5,000 each year to students from bothLSUandSouthern.

ATB: What advice do you have for current law students or someone who is thinking about becoming a lawyer?

RU:Ifyouthinkyouwant tobe in thecourtroom,youneed to start going to court. Watch attorneys practice and interact with their clients. Also, sit down with as many attorneys as you can and talk to them. Ask them what theylikeabouttheirjobandwhattheydonot.Findoutwhat they do every day and figure out if that is something you really want to do.

Everyone who plans to become a lawyer also needs to understand the responsibility that comes with being a lawyer. People trust lawyers with their lives and their livelihoods. That is a big burden, and some lawyers cope with that burden better than others. I think new attorneys


need to make a plan to deal with that burden before they take any cases.

ATB: Who, in the legal community, helped you along the way?

RU: There were a lot of people who helped. WinstonDecuir really taught me what professionalism looks like inpractice.GailMcKayshowedmehowtomanagemybusiness as a solo practitioner. Greg Rome, my former section chief at the public defender’s office, really showed me what it means to think like a lawyer in practice. In my last two years of working with him, I’ve learned and grown so much as far as the practice of law goes.

Also, over the past two years I have practiced against some exceptional Assitant District Attorneys: Brandon Fremin,ChrisHester,ZachDaniels, Jessica JarreauandLauren Corkern. I have also worked with some excellent Assistant Public Defenders: Jennifer Racca and Sean Collins. These attorneys have helped shape the way I practice law and develop relationships with my clients.

ATB: Would you tell us a little bit about your family?

RU:MywifeCourtneyandIgotmarriedin2012.Wemetat Xavier in 2004 and have been great friends since that time. She works as a pharmacist. We have a two-year-old daughter,MayaMichelle.

ATB: What do you like to do when you are not doing legal work?

RU:Ilovetogooutsideandplaywithmydaughterandspend time with my family. I spend time with my nephews and try to mentor them as much as I can without sounding like an overbearing dad. I play golf, and I love football — Saints, of course. I also love watching the Chicago Cubs play baseball. I enjoy grilling and I make a pretty good gumbo.My gumbo won some awards when I lived inIndianapolis but I don’t know if that really counts.

ATB: What are your plans for the future?

RU:MymaingoalistokeepgivingbackthebestthatIcan. I am going to continue to work with people that other lawyers do not want to work with, and I am going to keep fighting the good fight.


bar newsPlatte receives 2016 Judge Joseph Keogh Award

At the BRBA Bar Leader Installation Ceremony, held Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2016,Michael Plattewas honoredby the BRBA Young Lawyers Section with the 2016 Judge JosephKeoghAward.Plattewasthe2015co-chairwithMatthewMeinersof theBRBABusiness/CorporateLawSection. Both are continuing in 2016. Additionally, Platte is a two-time past chair of the Law Expo Committee.

Mock Trial Competition to be held Feb. 26-27

TheRegionIIIHighSchoolMockTrialCompetition,hostedannuallybytheBatonRougeBarFoundation,willbeheldFriday,Feb.26,andSaturday,Feb.27,2016,atthe 19th Judicial District Court.

LynnHaynes is the staff liaison of theMock TrialCommittee, and Tavares A. Walker of the Southern University LawCenter is the 2016 committee chair. Tovolunteer to assist with the mock trial competition, contact Lynn at [email protected] or 225-214-5564.

BRBF Law day to take place May 2

RobertSavagewillchairthisyear’sBRBFLawDay,whichwillbeheldMonday,May2,2016,at theBatonRouge River Center Theatre. Essay, poster and video contests are available for middle and high school students. This year’s theme is: “Miranda:More thanWords.”Tovolunteer, contact Donna at [email protected] or 225-214-5556.

Wilder-doomes named federal magistrate judge

Erin Wilder-Doomes was sworn in as the newest federal magistrate judge at the Baton Rouge-based U. S. District Court fortheMiddleDistrict ofLouisianaWednesday,Jan. 6, 2016. Wilder-Doomes replaces U.S.Magistrate Judge Stephen Riedlinger, whoretired in December 2015 after serving in that position since 1986.

MagistrateJudgeWilder-DoomesholdsalawdegreefromtheLSUPaulM.HebertLawCenter.

Former BRBA president elected partner

Michael Walsh, a former president ofthe BRBA, became a partner in the law firm of Taylor Porter Jan. 1, 2016. Walsh was previously of counsel with the firm. An adjunct professor of law at the LSU PaulM.Hebert

The BRBA Bar Leader installation Ceremony & Reception was held Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2016, at 3 p.m. at the U.S. district Court for the Middle district of Louisiana. Pictured above are the 2016 Officers of the Board of directors: Linda Law Clark (treasurer), Jeanne Comeaux (president), Karli G. Johnson (president-elect) and Amy C. Lambert (secretary). U. S. district Court Judge Shelly dick swore in the officers.

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Law Center, Walsh teaches a course on Professional Responsibility and Ethics. Additionally, he is a frequent lecturer on ethics, professionalism and litigation skills for the BRBA. Walsh has more than 30 years of experience representing individual and corporate clients in complex criminal and civil litigation and enforcement cases throughout the country.

Castille selected to serve on new governor’s higher education transition committee

Preston Castille Jr., national president of Southern University Alumni Federation andpartner at the Taylor Porter law firm, was recently named as part of Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards’ transition committee on higher education. This committee is expected to focus on ways to protect funding for the state’s colleges and universities and improve college affordability.

Castille is a past president of the BRBA and the Association’s delegate to the American Bar Association.

Michael e. Platte (left) is the recipient of the 2016 young Lawyers Section’s Judge Joseph Keogh Award. The award was presented by Robert J. Burns Jr., past president, and by BRBA President Jeanne C. Comeaux.

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SAVE THE DATEFor THESE 2016 mAjor

BrBA EVENTS

lAw DAy — may 2Baton Rouge River Center Theatre

BENcH BAr coNFErENcE — july 21 - 23GrandHotelMarriott

Resort in Point Clear, Alabama

SoFTBAllTourNAmENT

Aug. 19 - 20BRECOakVillaPark

lAw EXPo — Sept. 8L’Auberge Casino & Hotel

Baton Rouge

For morE INFormATIoN, cAll

THE BrBA AT 225-344-4803.

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Chief U.S. district Judge Brian A. Jackson installed Jeanne C. Comeaux as the 2016 president of the Baton Rouge Bar Association.

debra T. Parker received a plaque in appreciation of her service as co-chair of the BRBA Workers’ Compensation Section.Additionally, Parker accepted awards for the three other section co-chairs, who were unable to attend the ceremony (Robin L. Krumholt, Michelle M. Sorrells and Judge Pamela Moses-Laramore), who is the judicial liaison.

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The 2016 young Lawyers Section Council and Officers were sworn in by U. S. district Court Judge John W. deGravelles. Photographed (L to R) are Loren Shanklin Fleshman (chair-elect), erin Sayes Kenny, Francisca M. M. Comeaux (secretary), Kara B. Kantrow (chair), Jordan Faircloth and Chelsea Gomez Caswell. not photographed are yLS Council members Ashley Butler and Kellye Grinton.


foundation footnotesPRO BOnO And Teen COURT RePORTS — nOveMBeR 2015

The Pro Bono Project is financially assisted by the Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA) Program of the Louisiana Bar Foundation; Southeast Louisiana Legal Services; Franciscan Ministry Fund; Family, District and City Court Filing Fees and the Baton Rouge Bar Foundation. Teen Court of Greater Baton Rouge is finded by the South Burbank Crime Prevention and Development District and the Baton Rouge Bar Foundation. The Youth Education Program is financially assisted by the Interest on Lawyers Trust Account (IOLTA) of the Louisiana Bar Foundation. The Future Legal Eagles Law Club is funded by a grant from the South Burbank Crime Prevention and Development District.

The Baton Rouge Bar Foundation wouldlike to thank everyone who volunteered in November2015.

ASk-A-lAwyEr VoluNTEErS — Tyler Gray, LMOGA; Annette Peltier, Phelps Dunbar; Emily Ziober; luis leitzelar, Jones Walker and james Austin, Adams & Reese.

THIrST For juSTIcE VoluNTEErS — robert chapman and Patti Hatch, Dudley DeBosier Injury Lawyers; Scott Gaspard; luis leitzelar, Jones Walker; c. kieffer Petree, McGlinchey Stafford, PLLC; Allen Posey; David Tubbs; and james Zito. Also, kelley Dick jr., Thomas Gildersleeve, Scott mansfield, NeShira millender, lauren rivera, michelle marney white, w. luther wilson, T. macDougall womack, Taylor Porter.

THoSE AccEPTING Pro BoNo cASES IN NoVEmBEr INcluDED — rezalia Allen, Attorney at Law; j. David Andress, Andress Law Firm; Booker carmichael, The Carmichael Firm; rodney Erdey, Rodney N. Erdey, ALC; robert morgan, Attorney at Law; lauren rivera, Taylor Porter; michael west, Phelps Dunbar; michelle marney white, Taylor Porter; and james Zito, Attorney at Law.

mEDIcAl / lEGAl PArTNErSHIP cASES — molly csaki, Phelps Dunbar; lykisha Vaughan, The Law Office of Lykisha R. Vaughan; and charlene Patterson, Attorney at Law.

SElF HElP rESourcE cENTEr ATTorNEy VoluNTEErS — Steven Adams, Adams Law Office APLC; ryan Brown, Roedel, Parson, et al.; loreal m. jackson, The Law Office of LM Jackson, LLC; Denise lee, Louisiana Workforce Commission; Tracy morganti, Adams & Reese; Tonya ozene, Louisiana House of Representatives, and jennifer Prescott, Joubert Law Firm, APLC.

TEEN courT rEPorT — jessica Engler and monica Vela-Vick served as judges for the November Teen Court hearings.Danielle Bickham, Tiffany lemons and Brittany Tassin, Southern University Law Center and Ashley chandler, LSU Law Center, served as jury monitors. raveen

Hills and Nina Hunter gave a presentation onTeenDatingViolencePrevention for theTeen Court participants.

THE FuTurE lEGAl EAGlES lAw cluB — The club held a monthly meeting Oct. 15, 2015, at the Gardere Inititative. DuringitsNov.19,2015,meeting,alsoheldat the Gardere Initiative, the club planned its December community service project.


Calendarduty Court Schedule

*Unless otherwise noted, all meetings will be held at the Baton Rouge Bar office.

For classified or display ad rates, contact Pamela at (225) 214-5560

or email: [email protected]

February 2016

19thJDC Civil Court

Feb. 1-Feb. 5 Judge CaldwellFeb. 8, 10-12 Judge KelleyFeb. 16-Feb. 19 Judge KelleyFeb. 22-Feb. 26 Judge Morvant

19th JDC Criminal Court***

Jan. 29-Feb. 5 Judge DanielFeb. 6-Feb. 12 Judge MooreFeb. 13-Feb. 14 Judge HigginbothamFeb. 16-Feb. 19 Judge HigginbothamFeb. 20-Feb. 26 Judge WhiteFeb. 27-Feb. 29 Judge Marabella

Baton rouGe City Court*

Feb. 1-Feb. 7 Judge AlexanderFeb. 8-Feb. 14 Judge PonderFeb. 15-Feb. 21 Judge ProsserFeb. 20-Feb. 28 Judge TempleFeb. 29-March 6 Judge Smith

family Court**

Feb. 1 Judge DayFeb. 2 Judge GreeneFeb. 3 Judge BakerFeb. 4 Judge Woodruff-WhiteFeb. 5 Judge DayFeb. 10 Judge BakerFeb. 11 Judge Woodruff-WhiteFeb. 12 Judge GreeneFeb. 16 Judge GreeneFeb. 17 Judge BakerFeb. 18 Judge Woodruff-WhiteFeb. 19 Judge BakerFeb. 22 Judge DayFeb. 23 Judge GreeneFeb. 24 Judge BakerFeb. 25 Judge Woodruff-WhiteFeb. 26 Judge Woodruff-WhiteFeb. 29 Judge Day

Juvenile Court

Feb. 1-Feb. 29 Judge Haney

Classifieds

ongoing: Every Wednesday & Thursday, 3-5 p.m., Thirst for Justice takes place at St. Vincent de Paul.

ongoing: Every Tuesday & Thursday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Self Help Resource Center,19th JDC.

1 Ask-A-Lawyer, Gardere Initiative, 9-11 a.m.

2 Publications Committee meeting, Office of Walters, Papillion, Thomas, Cullens LLC, 8:30 a.m.

3 YLS Council meeting, 8:30 a.m.;

Law Day Committee meeting, 12-1 p.m.

4 Volunteer Committee meeting, 12-1 p.m.;

Ask-A-Lawyer, Charles R Kelly Community Center, 3535 Riley St., 9-11:30 a.m.;

Teen Court Committee meeting, 12-1 p.m

9 BRBA Office Closed — Mardi Gras

15 RCL Portrait Design: photographing BRBA members (Feb. 15-19);

Executive Committee, 8-9 a.m., BSW

16 Workers’ Compensation Section CLE, Juban’s

17 Ask-A-Lawyer, Catholic Charities, 1800 S. Acadian Thwy., 9-11:30 a.m.;

February Bar Luncheon, 11:45 a.m., Ruffino’s Catering at De La Ronde Hall;

Board Meeting, 5-6:30 p.m., City Club of Baton Rouge, 355 North Blvd.

18 Family Law Section CLE, 12-2 p.m.;

The Future Legal Eagles Law Club, 5-6:30 p.m.

19 Youth Education Committee meeting, 12-1 p.m.

20 Ask-A-Lawyer, Central Branch Library, 11260 Joor Rd., 9:30-11:30 a.m.

22 RCL Portrait Design: photographing BRBA members (Feb. 22-26);

Teen Court Hearing, EBR Juvenile Court, 5:30-8 p.m.

25 LRIS Committee meeting, 12-1 p.m.

26 Region III Mock Trial Competition, 9:45 a.m.-6 p.m., 19th JDC

27 Region III Mock Trial Competition, 9-11:15 a.m., 19th JDC

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NOTE: Duty Court changes at 5 p.m. each Friday unless otherwise specified. *City Court’s Duty Court schedule changes each Monday at 8 a.m. **Family Court’s Duty Court schedule is completely different each day, rotating on Fridays ***19th JDC Criminal Court changes each Friday at noon.

Court holiDaysTuesday, Feb. 9 Mardi Gras Monday, Feb. 15 Presidents Day

offiCes for lease: Great location with individual offices, confererence room and upfront receptionist. 4609 Bluebonnet Blvd., Ste. A — call Chad at 225-757-9484 or email: [email protected].

Baton rouGe offiCe sPaCe: Established firm; 201 Napoleon St., Downtown near 19th JDC and Federal courthouses, area for support staff, off-street parking, conference room, copier, phone, fax, Internet, etc. Some over-flow work available.Call Scott Gegenheimer: 225-346-8722.

volunteer with the reGion iii moCk trial ComPetition:The Baton Rouge Bar Foundation Mock Trial Committee plans the annual Region III High School Mock Trial Competition. This year’s event will be held Friday, Feb. 26 and Sat-urday, Feb. 27, 2016. Volunteers to serve as timekeepers and competition judges are needed. Contact Lynn S. Haynes to volunteer: 225-214-5564 or [email protected].

Join the law eXPo Committee:The BRBA Law Expo Committee plans the annual Fall Expo & Conference, which takes place along with the September Bar Luncheon. This year’s event will Sept. 8, 2016, at L’Auberge Casino & Hotel Baton Rouge. Contact Pamela Labbe for more info.: 225-214-5560 or [email protected].

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Baton Rouge Bar AssociationP.o. Box 2241Baton Rouge, LA 70821

Return Service Requested

PrSrT STDU.S. PoSTaGe PaIDBATON ROUGE, LA

PerMIT no. 746

It isn’t too early to book your hotel room for our annual conference in july . . .

BrBA Bench Bar conference

july 21-23, 2016Grand Hotel Marriott Resort • Point Clear, AlabamaTo reserve your hotel room, call marriott central

reservations at 1-800-544-9933.When you call, please reference the group name (BATON ROUGE BAR ASSOCIATION

BENCH BAR CONFERENCE 2016) OR one of the following three codes:

DELUXERESORTVIEWROOM:$229pernight—BBABBAADELUXEBAYSIDEROOM:$259pernight—BBABBABSPARESORTVIEWROOM:$259pernight—BBABBAC

coNTAcT ANN k. GrEGorIE wITH ANy quESTIoNS: 225-214-5563 or [email protected]

S P o N S o r S H I P S A V A I l A B l E

inside: bar luncheonlouisiana, is a contributing writer. he is the lafourche parish district...

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