THE LOUISIANA SUPREME COURT ISSUES THREE ORDERS FOLLOWING THE IMPACT OF HURRICANE IDA [PRESS RELEASE]

Please be advised that the Louisiana Supreme Court issued three orders on August 31, 2021 due to the impact of Hurricane Ida which affect prescription and filing deadlines among other important issues.

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AUGUST 31, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

THE LOUISIANA SUPREME COURT ISSUES THREE ORDERS FOLLOWING THE IMPACT OF HURRICANE IDA

New Orleans, LA- Today, Supreme Court Chief Justice John L. Weimer, acting under the authority of Article V, Section 1 of Constitution of 1974, and the inherent power of this Court, and considering the devastation caused by Hurricane Ida, including road closures, damage due to high winds, and flooding, and the loss of power and water in many areas of the state, for the safety of the public and court staff issued three orders addressing closure of the Louisiana Supreme Court; emergency suspension of prescription and peremption and emergency suspension of abandonment; and emergency suspension of time limitations.  The orders read in pertinent part as follows:

IT IS ORDERED THAT:
The Louisiana Supreme Court Offices and the Supreme Court Clerk of Court’s office will be closed Wednesday, September 1, 2021 thru Sunday, September 19, 2021.   All filings due during this period of closure, shall be deemed timely filed if filed on or before Monday, September 20, 2021.  However, during this closure, the Court will continue to handle emergency matters as necessary.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED THAT:
Cases scheduled to be heard on the September docket (September 7-9) are hereby postponed to the October docket, the week of October 18, 2021.

Additionally, Chief Justice Weimer, acting under the authority of Louisiana Civil Code Article 3472.1 and Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure Article 562, and considering the state of emergency declared statewide by Governor John Bel Edwards as a result of then-Tropical Storm Ida in Proclamation 165 JBE 2021 on August 26, 2021 and the catastrophic damage that Hurricane Ida has caused in the state released the following Order:

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED THAT:

1. Emergency suspension of prescription and peremption: All prescriptive and peremptive periods are hereby suspended statewide for a period of thirty days commencing from the Governor’s August 26, 2021 declaration of state of emergency.
   
   
2. Emergency suspension of abandonment:  All periods of abandonment are hereby suspended statewide for thirty days commencing from the Governor’s August 26, 2021 declaration of state of emergency.
   
   

Further, Chief Justice Weimer, acting under the authority of Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure Articles 955 and 958, and considering the state of emergency declared statewide by Governor John Bel Edwards as a result of then-Tropical Storm Ida on August 26, 2021 in Proclamation Number 165 JBE 2021 and the catastrophic damage that Hurricane Ida has caused in the state, released the following Order: 

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT:
Emergency suspension of time limitations.  All time periods, limitations, and delays limitations pertaining to the initiation, continuation, prosecution, defense, appeal, and post-conviction relief of any prosecution of any state or municipal criminal, juvenile, wildlife, or traffic matter within the parishes of Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Point Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Washington, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana are hereby suspended for a period of 30 days commencing from August 26, 2021.

Court Closure Orders and information from courts across Louisiana are posted on the website of the Louisiana Supreme Court, www.lasc.org, as they are received. 

For more information visit lasc.org or contact Louisiana Supreme Court Public Information Specialist/Coordinator Trina S. Vincent at [email protected] or (504) 310-2590. 
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