September 30, 2021 - Opinions - Louisiana Supreme Court

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<table cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:justify;" width="90%"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td valign="top" width="63%">FOR IMMEDIATE NEWS RELEASE</td><td valign="top" width="37%"><div align="right">NEWS RELEASE #037</div></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td valign="top">FROM: CLERK OF SUPREME COURT OF LOUISIANA</td><td valign="top">&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table> <p>&nbsp;</p><div class="nrbody"><style>.nrbody h1{ display:block; font-size:1em; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:underline; } .nrbody p { text-align:justify; } .nrdate { font-weight:bold; text-decoration:underline; } </style> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The Opinions handed down on the <span class="nrdate">30th day of September, 2021</span> are as follows: </p><h1>BY Hughes, J.: </h1><p><a href="/opinions/2021/20-1266.CC.OPN.pdf">2020-CC-01266 JASON AND JOHNNA KUNATH, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS NATURAL TUTOR AND TUTRIX OF GRAYSON KUNATH, MINOR VS. SAMANTHA FAYE GAFFORD, THE STATE OF LOUISIANA, DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES, AND SUZY SONNIER, SECRETARY, LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES</a> (Parish of Desoto) <br />AFFIRMED AND REMANDED. SEE OPINION. </p><p>Retired Judge Freddie Pitcher, Jr., appointed Justice ad hoc sitting for McCallum, J., recused in case number 2020-CC-01266 only. </p><p>Weimer, C.J., concurs and assigns reasons. <br />Crichton, J., concurs and assigns reasons. <br />Griffin, J., concurs and assigns reasons. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><h1>BY Crichton, J.: </h1><p><a href="/opinions/2021/18-1999.KA.OPN.pdf">2018-KA-01999 STATE OF LOUISIANA VS. DAVID H. BROWN</a> (Parish of Lafourche) <br />CONVICTIONS AFFIRMED; DEATH SENTENCES REVERSED; CASE REMANDED FOR FURTHER PROCEEDINGS CONSISTENT WITH THIS OPINION. SEE OPINION. </p><p>Retired Justice Jeannette Theriot Knoll, appointed Justice as hoc, sitting for Weimer, C.J., recused in case number 2018-KA-01999 only. <br />Retired Judge Frank Hardy Thaxton, appointed Justice ad hoc, sitting for Crain, J., recused in case number 2018-KA-01999 only. </p><p>Hughes, J., additionally concurs and assigns reasons. <br />Crichton, J., additionally concurs and assigns reasons. <br />McCallum, J., additionally concurs and assigns reasons. <br />Knoll, J., dissents in part and assigns reasons. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><h1>BY Crain, J.: </h1><p><a href="/opinions/2021/20-1031.C.OPN.pdf">2020-C-01031 FAIRBANKS DEVELOPMENT, LLC VS. CHARLES WOODROW JOHNSON AND JESSICA LYN PETERSEN</a> (Parish of Ouachita) <br />AFFIRMED. CASE REMANDED. SEE OPINION.</p><p>Retired Judge James H. Boddie, Jr., appointed Justice ad hoc, sitting for McCallum, J., recused in case number 2020-C-01031 only. </p><p>Weimer, C.J., additionally concurs and assigns reasons. <br />Hughes, J., dissents and assigns reasons. <br />Genovese, J., dissents and assigns reasons. <br />Griffin, J., dissents for the reasons assigned by Justice Hughes and Justice Genovese. <br />Boddie, J., additionally concurs for the reasons assigned by Chief Justice Weimer. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><h1>BY McCallum, J.: </h1><p><a href="/opinions/2021/20-1471.C.OPN.pdf">2020-C-01471 BILLIE COOK VS. SHARON SULLIVAN</a> (Parish of Bossier) <br />AFFIRMED. SEE OPINION. </p><p>Griffin, J., additionally concurs and assigns reasons. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><h1>BY Griffin, J.: </h1><p><a href="/opinions/2021/20-1148.CC.OPN.pdf">2020-CC-01148 J. BENJAMIN ZAPATA AND AMANDA ZAPATA VS. STEPHEN WAYNE SEAL, DIVERSIFIED WELL LOGGING, INC. AND NAVIGATORS INSURANCE COMPANY</a> (Parish of Tangipahoa) <br />AFFIRMED. SEE OPINION. </p><p>Retired Chief Judge Felicia Toney Williams, appointed Justice ad hoc, sitting for Hughes, J., recused in case number 2020-CC-01148 only. </p><p>Weimer, C.J., additionally concurs and assigns reasons. <br />Crichton, J., dissents and assigns reasons. <br />Genovese, J., dissents and assigns reasons. <br />McCallum, J., dissents for the reasons assigned by Justice Crichton and Justice Genovese. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><h1>PER CURIAM: </h1><p><a href="/opinions/2021/20-1335.B.OPN.pdf">2020-B-01335 IN RE: JOSEPH N. MAYER, III</a><br />SUSPENSION IMPOSED. SEE PER CURIAM. </p><p>Weimer, C.J., additionally concurs and assigns reasons. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><a href="/opinions/2021/20-0743.K.OPN.pdf">2020-K-00743 STATE OF LOUISIANA VS. WALTER JOHNSON</a> (Parish of Ascension) <br />REVERSED. SEE PER CURIAM. </p><p>Weimer, C.J., additionally concurs and assigns reasons. <br />Hughes, J., dissents and would affirm the court of appeal. <br />Crichton, J., additionally concurs and assigns reasons. <br />Crain, J., additionally concurs and assigns reasons. <br />McCallum, J., concurs in the result and assigns reasons. <br />Griffin, J., additionally concurs for the reasons assigned by Chief Justice Weimer. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p> </div>
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