A Baton Rouge judge has temporarily blocked a new state law that would eliminate three Orleans Parish judgeships. Judge Tarvald Smith of the 19th Judicial District Court in East Baton Rouge Parish granted a preliminary injunction that pauses Act 748 of the 2026 legislative session.

Background

The law, which arose from a bill sponsored by Sen. Jay Morris, would slash the number of Orleans Parish criminal court judges from 12 to 9 and eliminate four other judgeships from the city’s juvenile and municipal and traffic courts. Judges John Fuller, Simone Levine, and Rhonda Goode-Douglas are slated to lose their seats.

Fuller filed suit against the state, challenging the constitutionality of the statute. He argued that a constitutional amendment was needed to eliminate the judgeships, which are elected offices. The Legislature got rid of them through passage of a regular statute, which has a significantly easier threshold to meet.

A constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds majority of each chamber of the Legislature to pass and a vote of the public. A regular statute only requires a simple majority of the House and Senate.

Reaction

Fuller’s attorney, Jerome Matthews Jr., said, ‘Today’s ruling is a victory for the rule of law, not for any particular judge.’ Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill plans to file an immediate appeal, stating, ‘The law is clear that a preliminary injunction blocking implementation of a state law is not legally proper.’

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.