WBRZ - Baton Rouge

Tagged News

• Ruling doesn't resolve family restaurant squabble

  May 17, 2013 2:30 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge's ruling hasn't resolved a family's power struggle for control of Brennan's, one of New Orleans' best-known restaurants. U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan ruled Friday that Owen "Pip" Brennan, a son of the restaurant's late founder, is a shareholder in Brennan's Inc. and retains his... more »

• U.S. Army vet jailed for fighting with Syrian al-Quaida

  April 8, 2013 7:36 PM

  ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA- A U.S. Army veteran accused of joining al-Qaida to fight in Syria will remain in jail pending his trial. Eric Harroun's lawyers tried to argue that he was fighting with Syrian rebels who share the U.S. government's desire to oust the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. But prosecutors... more »

• School truancy fight

  February 19, 2013 7:24 PM

  A school district in Pennsylvania that fined parents excessively for their kids' truancy approved a $265,000 settlement after it was sued. A federal judge ruled the Lebanon School district improperly fined the parents, even though state law allows truancy fines as high as $300. In some cases, the district's fines... more »

• High court reject's rapper C-Murder's appeal

  February 19, 2013 9:03 AM

  WASHINGTON- The Supreme Court has passed up another chance to deal with an anomaly of constitutional law that requires federal juries to reach unanimous verdicts in criminal cases, but allows states to make different rules. The court on Tuesday rejected the appeal of the rapper known as C-Murder, who is... more »

• Ex-cop seeks new judge for retrial over shooting

  January 28, 2013 5:06 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A former New Orleans police officer has asked a federal judge to disqualify himself from presiding over his retrial on charges he fatally shot a man without justification in Hurricane Katrina's aftermath before the man's body was burned in a car. A court filing Monday by lawyers... more »

• Judge puts a hold on Super Bowl "Clean Zone"

  January 24, 2013 4:33 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - The ACLU said a federal court put a temporary restraining order in place to keep part of the Super Bowl's "Clean Zone" from being put into effect in New Orleans. The zone would restrict the use of banners, signs and flags during the Super Bowl celebrations... more »

• IRS loses lawsuit in fight against tax preparers

  January 18, 2013 5:33 PM

  WASHINGTON - A federal judge has ruled that the IRS lacks authority to impose new regulations, including a competency exam, on hundreds of thousands of tax preparers. The ruling Friday from Judge James Boasberg bars the IRS from implementing a host of regulations that would have required tax preparers to... more »

• Vilma's defamation suit against Goodell dismissed

  January 17, 2013 5:24 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has dismissed New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma's defamation lawsuit against NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in connection with the bounty case. U.S. District Judge Ginger Berrigan in New Orleans said Thursday the bounty matter "feels as protracted and painful as the Saints season... more »

• Judge sets date to rule on BP plea deal over spill

  December 11, 2012 4:48 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge says she will decide next month whether to accept a plea deal that calls for BP PLC to pay a record $4.5 billion in penalties for its role in a deadly 2010 rig explosion and the massive oil spill it triggered in the Gulf... more »

• Judge poised to deny nativity scenes

  November 19, 2012 7:36 PM

  A federal judge in Los Angeles may deny a bid from churches to force the city of Santa Monica to reopen spaces in a city park for private displays, including nativity scenes. A lawyer representing the group of churches says he will appeal if that happens. Christmas nativity scenes had... more »

• Judge approves FTC's $22.5M fine of Google

  November 16, 2012 6:31 PM

  SAN FRANCISCO - A federal judge has approved a $22.5 million fine to penalize Google for an alleged privacy breach. In doing so, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston rejected a consumer rights group's calls for tougher punishment. Illston issued her ruling late Friday, a few hours after holding a hearing... more »

• Federal judge urged to approve BP settlement

  November 8, 2012 10:49 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - BP PLC and a team of plaintiffs' attorneys are urging a federal judge to give final approval to a proposed class-action settlement of economic damage claims spawned by the massive 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier is holding a "fairness... more »

• NFL responds to Vilma, NFLPA lawsuits

  October 17, 2012 2:43 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - The NFL is again urging a federal judge to avoid interfering in Commissioner Roger Goodell's efforts to discipline four players for the Saints' cash-for-hits bounty pool. In a response Wednesday to papers the players filed earlier this week, the NFL says its labor agreement gives Goodell the... more »

• $42.6 million FEMA trailer settlements approved

  September 27, 2012 12:40 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge gave his final approval Thursday to a $42.6 million class-action settlement between companies that made and installed government-issued trailers after hurricanes in 2005 and Gulf Coast storm victims who claim they were exposed to hazardous fumes while living in the shelters. U.S. District Judge... more »

• Ala., Louisiana suing feds over drilling royalties

  September 6, 2012 2:28 PM

  MONTGOMERY, Ala. - A federal judge has combined lawsuits brought by two Gulf Coast states against the federal government over millions in offshore drilling royalties. Alabama's suit says $7.5 million is at stake and Louisiana's says $2.8 million. U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton in Washington combined the two suits last... more »

• "None of the above" loses

  August 22, 2012 7:36 PM

  Nevada's unique voting option of "none of the above" was struck down by a federal judge. U.S. District Judge Robert Jones says it's unconstitutional and since the "none" option can never win, even if it gets the most votes, it makes those votes not count. Nevada is the only state... more »

• St. Helena school to stay under state control

  July 31, 2012 10:09 AM

  GREENBURG - A federal district judge says he has the authority to transfer the state-run St. Helena Central Middle School back into local school board control but he's not going to do so right now. The Advocate reports St. Helena Parish school system officials argued that the district's dramatic improvement... more »

• Judge says Arizona's abortion ban can take effect

  July 30, 2012 6:15 PM

  PHOENIX - Arizona's ban on abortions starting at 20 weeks of pregnancy is poised to take effect this week after a federal judge ruled Monday that the new law is constitutional. U.S. District Judge James Teilborg says the statute may prompt a few pregnant women who are considering abortion to... more »

• Judge rejects suit to block contraception mandate

  July 17, 2012 5:53 PM

  LINCOLN, Neb. - A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by seven states and joined by religious plaintiffs seeking to block the contraceptive coverage mandate in the federal health care law. The lawsuit was filed by attorneys general from Nebraska, Florida, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas. Plaintiffs... more »

• Judge overturns Alexandria fortunetelling ban

  July 13, 2012 9:37 AM

  ALEXANDRIA - A federal judge has struck down an Alexandria ordinance banning fortunetelling, palm reading, astrology and similar activities in the city. U.S. District Judge Dee Drell's ruling Wednesday concurs with a magistrate's conclusion that the ordinance is unconstitutional. Rachel Adams, a fortune-teller who says she accepts donations but doesn't... more »

• Judge continues to block Mississippi abortion law

  July 11, 2012 3:03 PM

  JACKSON, Miss. - A federal judge is continuing to block a new anti-abortion law in Mississippi. If the law were allowed to take effect, it could shut down the state's only abortion clinic and make it nearly impossible for a woman to get an abortion in Mississippi. The U.S. Supreme... more »

• Critical Charges dropped against Hutaree Militia

  March 27, 2012 8:05 PM

  A federal judge dismissed key charges against members of a militia group in Michigan accused of plotting war against the government. The ruling is an embarrassment for the government that planted an FBI informant among members of the Hutaree militia. Prosecutors claimed members were armed for war against federal law... more »

• Federal judge ends BP's probation for Alaska spill

  December 27, 2011 4:46 PM

  ANCHORAGE, Alaska - A U.S. district judge has dismissed the federal government's request to revoke a BP subsidiary's probation for a 2009 oil spill on Alaska's North Slope. Judge Ralph Beistline also lifted BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc.'s probation altogether in a written order issued Tuesday. BP was convicted of negligent... more »

• La., Ala. can seek punitive oil spill damages

  November 15, 2011 11:16 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge says Alabama and Louisiana can pursue punitive damages against BP and other companies involved in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster that killed 11 and spewed millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier (BAHR' bee aye)... more »

• No ruling yet in bid to overturn Facebook ban

  November 2, 2011 4:31 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A federal judge has called a law that bans certain sex offenders from Facebook and other social networking sites a "constitutionally problematic" statute. But Judge Brian Jackson didn't decide Wednesday whether to throw out the new law that took effect in August. Jackson heard arguments from... more »

• Ex-cop gets 4 years for Katrina cover-up

  November 2, 2011 3:50 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has sentenced a former New Orleans police lieutenant to four years in prison for his role in a plot to cover up deadly police shootings on a city bridge after Hurricane Katrina. Michael Lohman faced a maximum of five years in prison for... more »

• Trial delayed for cop charged in Katrina shootings

  September 12, 2011 4:40 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has postponed a trial for a retired police sergeant charged with plotting to cover up deadly shootings of unarmed residents on a New Orleans bridge after Hurricane Katrina. Gerard Dugue's trial was scheduled to begin Sept. 26, but his attorney and prosecutors asked... more »

• Ex-cop to be sentenced Nov. 17 in Katrina case

  August 16, 2011 4:34 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has agreed to postpone a sentencing hearing for a former police officer who pleaded guilty to helping cover up deadly shootings of unarmed residents on a New Orleans bridge after Hurricane Katrina. Robert Barrios was scheduled to be sentenced Thursday. On Tuesday, however,... more »

• Sentencing delayed for ex-cop in Katrina shootings

  August 10, 2011 9:52 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has postponed a sentencing hearing for a former New Orleans police lieutenant who pleaded guilty to helping cover up the deadly shootings of unarmed residents on a bridge after Hurricane Katrina. U.S. District Judge Ivan Lemelle agreed this week to delay Michael Lohman's... more »

• Baton Rouge group home wins ruling on eviction

  July 29, 2011 1:31 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A Baton Rouge federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction that bars officials from evicting members of Oxford House group homes from neighborhoods zoned exclusively for single-family residences. Oxford House is a Maryland nonprofit organization that establishes self-governing group homes for recovering alcoholics and drug addicts.... more »

• Judge rules monks can sell caskets

  July 21, 2011 2:21 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has ruled that an order of monks can sell caskets without having a Louisiana funeral home license. The monks of St. Joseph Abbey in St. Tammany Parish sued in August, saying the Louisiana Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors maintains a "casket cartel"... more »

• Family and friends remember Judge Ralph Tyson

  July 18, 2011 4:33 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Family, friends and former colleagues of Federal Court Judge Ralph Tyson mourned his loss today with heavy hearts. Tyson passed away early this morning, after an 11-year battle with lung cancer. "We are overwhelmed and encouraged by the outpouring of support dad has received," Tyson's son,... more »

• Judge orders Nelson's mother out of his bribery trial

  June 13, 2011 5:48 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A federal judge ordered the mother of former New Roads Mayor Tommy Nelson to leave his bribery trial today, after she was accused of intimidating prosecutors' star witness. Judge Ralph Tyson told Rosetta Nelson he'd received a complaint before court resumed after lunch that she had... more »

• Judge orders action on 6 deepwater permits

  May 10, 2011 5:23 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has given the Obama administration 30 days to act on six permits for deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman issued the order Tuesday in a lawsuit filed by Ensco Offshore Co. and others. He rejected Interior Department... more »

• Judge refuses to suppress tapes in Danziger case

  April 18, 2011 6:18 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has refused to suppress FBI tapes of secretly recorded conversations of New Orleans police officers charged in deadly shootings of unarmed residents on a bridge after Hurricane Katrina. During a hearing Monday, U.S. District Judge Kurt Engelhardt said he found some "troubling issues"... more »

• Ex-cops sentenced in killing of man after Katrina

  March 31, 2011 3:25 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A former New Orleans police officer was sentenced to more than 25 years in prison Thursday for shooting a man to death without justification after Hurricane Katrina, and his ex-colleague was given just over 17 years for burning the body. The judge said he didn't believe... more »

• Judge: Lawyers suing BP can see engineer's emails

  March 28, 2011 3:42 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Lead attorneys for people suing BP over last year's oil spill can view emails exchanged between a key engineer for the oil giant and his wife, a federal magistrate judge ruled Monday. Judge Sally Shushan said the marital privilege doctrine does not protect the emails Brian... more »

• Ex-cop's sentencing postponed in Katrina shooting

  March 16, 2011 4:24 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has postponed a sentencing hearing for a former New Orleans police officer who was convicted of fatally shooting a man in Hurricane Katrina's aftermath. The former officer, David Warren, was scheduled to be sentenced March 24. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Lance Africk... more »

• Tucson suspect charged with murders of judge, aide

  March 4, 2011 1:29 PM

  PHOENIX - The suspect in the Tucson, Ariz., shooting rampage has been indicted on new charges that include the murders of a federal judge and a congressional aide. The charges filed Friday were added to other federal counts that 22-year-old Jared Lee Loughner already faced in the Jan. 8... more »

• Jury in ex-lawmaker's trial to keep deliberating

  February 23, 2011 5:18 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has instructed jurors to continue deliberating in the racketeering case against a former Louisiana lawmaker even though they appear to be deadlocked. Michael Fawer, an attorney for former state Rep. Renee Gill Pratt, said the jury gave U.S. District Judge Ivan Lemelle a... more »

• Judge refuses to reduce ex-lawmaker's prison term

  January 6, 2011 1:44 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has refused to reduce a prison sentence for a former Louisiana lawmaker who pleaded guilty to helping an unlicensed bond broker launder money. Former state Sen. Derrick Shepherd had asked U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier in November to reduce his prison sentence from 37... more »

• Judge sentences man in child porn, snakes case

  December 22, 2010 10:43 AM

  GULFPORT, Miss. - A federal judge in Mississippi has sentenced a man to 30 years in prison on charges of coercing an underage girl to pose for child pornography with poisonous snakes. John Joseph Maillet pleaded guilty in September to one count of production of child pornography. He was sentenced... more »

• Transocean ordered to turn over safety records

  December 17, 2010 11:51 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has ordered Transocean Ltd. to turn over a batch of safety records to a government panel probing the deadly rig explosion that spawned the massive Gulf oil spill. The company that owned the ill-fated Deepwater Horizon rig had balked at providing safety records for... more »

• Entergy found to have overcharged customers

  December 13, 2010 10:49 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A federal regulatory judge has found Entergy Corp. overcharged customers in four states by the way it sold electricity. Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood on Monday announced last week's ruling by an administrative law judge for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The investigation covered subsidiaries with about... more »

• Senate to decide fate of impeached federal judge

  December 4, 2010 11:17 AM

  WASHINGTON - The Senate is set to begin deciding Tuesday whether to remove a federal judge from Louisiana after the House impeached him on corruption charges. The House voted unanimously in March to bring four articles of impeachment against G. Thomas Porteous. A two-thirds Senate vote is needed to... more »

• Ex-teacher sentenced in La. child porn case

  December 1, 2010 6:37 AM

  LAFAYETTE - After receiving a 14-year prison sentence on a child pornography charge, Larry Caillier II told a federal judge that he was innocent and that his attorneys had persuaded him to accept a plea deal. Caillier, a former Opelousas High School teacher, was accused of receiving a sexually explicit... more »

• News media banned from offshore drilling conference

  November 9, 2010 10:38 AM

  NEW ORLEANS--News organizations were barred from a conference over a company's claim that the government has not issued a single drilling permit, even though the moratorium was lifted last month. U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman said the hearing would be held in his chambers, and news organizations had no... more »

• Judge orders test on Halliburton cement in BP oil well

  October 29, 2010 12:34 PM

  GULF OF MEXICO - A federal judge is ordering tests to be performed as soon as possible on cement Halliburton Co. used to seal the BP well that blew out catastrophically in the Gulf of Mexico. U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier said some of the components may be "deteriorating... more »

• Judge awards legal fees in Miss. lesbian prom case

  October 26, 2010 11:29 AM

  A federal judge has ordered a Mississippi school district to pay just over $81,000 in legal fees and expenses in a lawsuit filed by a lesbian student whose prom was canceled because she wanted to bring her girlfriend. U.S. District Judge Glen H. Davidson signed the order on Monday... more »

• Judge: Drilling safety rules improperly issued

  October 20, 2010 5:18 PM

  A federal judge has ruled that the Interior Department improperly issued new safety rules after it imposed a moratorium on deep water drilling in the aftermath of the Gulf oil spill. Tuesday's ruling by U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman says the rules imposed in a June 8 notice to offshore... more »

• Department of Justice challenges 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' ruling

  October 14, 2010 7:01 PM

  The Department of Justice asked a federal judge to allow the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy to continue while it appeals an end to the ban on homosexuals serving openly. The judge ordered the Pentagon to stop enforcing the ban two days ago. News 2’s Rob Krieger... more »

• R. Allen Stanford has to Pay his own Legal Fees

  October 13, 2010 8:01 PM

  A federal judge says financier R. Allen Stanford, accused in a $7 billion Ponzi scheme , where hundreds in the Baton Rouge area claim they were fleeced, has to pay his own legal fees for his criminal trial. Stanford and two of his former executives had fought to have insurance... more »

• Judge asked to postpone trial for Gulf spill cases

  October 2, 2010 10:06 AM

  Some of the companies sued over the massive Gulf oil spill are asking a federal judge to postpone a trial designed to assign percentages of fault in the ill-fated Deepwater Horizon drilling project. A court filing Friday by Halliburton Energy Services, Cameron International and other companies says they need more... more »

• Gun Rights Lawsuit Dismissed

  September 30, 2010 7:52 PM

  A federal judge in Montana dismissed a lawsuit by gun rights advocates and some states who sought freedom from federal gun laws. Judge Donald Molloy's decision sides with the U.S. Justice Department which argues Congress can set standards through the power of regulating interstate commerce. Montana, Utah, Alabama, Idaho, South... more »

• Senate panel wrapping up impeachment hearings on La. judge

  September 21, 2010 1:32 PM

  Attorneys for Judge G. Thomas Porteous are wrapping up their defense before a Senate impeachment panel hearing a case that could make him just the eighth federal judge to be removed from the bench. Porteous' attorneys are calling the last of some two dozen witnesses who have testified over... more »

• LA judge's impeachment lawyers begin mounting defense

  September 16, 2010 10:53 AM

  Defense attorneys for a Louisiana judge facing an impeachment trial in Congress have begun trying to undermine the case against him, calling witnesses such as his son who said money he took from lawyers wasn't graft. U.S. District Judge G. Thomas Porteous is accused of accepting cash and other gifts... more »

• 2005 Katrina bridge shootings: ex-cop's sentencing delayed

  September 15, 2010 3:27 PM

  A federal judge has postponed sentencing for a former New Orleans police detective who admitted he helped cover up deadly shootings of unarmed residents on a bridge after Hurricane Katrina. Jeffrey Lehrmann, one of five former officers who have pleaded guilty in the Justice Department's probe of the Danziger Bridge... more »

• Virtual Chocolate Milk Fight

  September 13, 2010 8:06 PM

  The Hershey Company is in federal court over its iPhone app to make virtual chocolate milk because it might violate another company's copyright. The other company is Hottrix LLC which also has an app that makes virtual chocolate milk. Hershey says its app is much different because it uses a... more »

• Judge asked to delay sentencing in bridge shooting

  August 31, 2010 5:34 AM

  Prosecutors are asking a federal judge to reconsider his refusal to postpone a sentencing hearing for Jeffrey Lehrmann. Lehrmann is a former New Orleans police detective who pleaded guilty to helping cover up a deadly police shooting after Hurricane Katrina. Justice Department lawyers want the judge to postpone Lehrmann's sentencing... more »

• Accused Pirates won't be called Pirates

  August 17, 2010 7:45 PM

  A federal judge in Virginia dismissed piracy charges against six Somali men taken prisoner after an attack on a U.S. Navy ship off the coast of Africa. The piracy charge carried a mandatory life in prison term and was the most serious of eight charges against the men. Now the... more »

• U.S. judge in Conn.: Cheerleading is not a sport

  July 21, 2010 1:22 PM

  A federal judge in Connecticut has ruled competitive cheerleading is not an official sport that schools can use to meet gender-equity requirements. U.S. District Judge Stefan Underhill says competitive cheerleading is too underdeveloped. Wednesday's ruling comes in a lawsuit filed by members of the volleyball team at Quinnipiac... more »

• Judge rejects Union school consolidation plan

  July 8, 2010 5:22 AM

  A plan by the Union Parish School System to consolidate grade levels at several schools has been rejected by a federal judge. U.S. District Judge Robbie James ruled proposed changes at four of its schools as part of a cost-saving consolidation plan do not comply with the U.S. Department of... more »

• Ex-N.O. official sentenced to almost 22 years

  June 25, 2010 5:37 AM

  A federal judge has sentenced a former member of the governing body of New Orleans' Sewerage and Water Board to nearly 22 years in prison. U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk on Thursday sentenced Benjamin Edwards Sr. to 21 years and 10 months for wire fraud and tax evasion and... more »

• Lloyd's tells Stanford no more money

  May 25, 2010 8:26 PM

  Lloyd's of London told a federal judge in Houston it won't pay any more money for Texas financier Allen Stanford's often changing legal teams. He's trying to defend himself against charges of running a multi-billion dollar Ponzi scheme that affects hundreds of investors in the Baton Rouge area. Lloyd's says... more »

• Lawyers jockey for position in Toyota Lawsuits

  May 13, 2010 8:28 PM

  Lawyers are jockeying for the lead positions in the Toyota lawsuits involving sudden acceleration issues with the vehicles. More than 70 tried to wow Federal Judge James Selna in California during a hearing Thursday in California where leaders will be chosen to head three committees that will oversee key components... more »

• Oil spill lawsuits could go before one single judge

  May 6, 2010 10:04 AM

  Attorneys have asked a federal judicial panel to consolidate at least 65 potential class action lawsuits claiming financial damage from the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Since the disaster on April 20, shrimpers, fishermen, business owners, charter boat captains and would-be vacationers have filed lawsuits against BP, Transocean... more »

• Mother-in-Law Jokes lawsuit tossed

  May 4, 2010 8:44 PM

  A federal judge in Los Angeles gave a stand-up comic the last laugh. She tossed a lawsuit after the comedian was sued for making mother-in-law jokes. Sunda Croonquist was sued for defamation by her mother-in-law, Ruth Zafrin, and two other in-laws who said she defamed them with untrue quips regarding... more »

• Judge doesn't rule on releasing Militia members

  April 28, 2010 8:41 PM

  A federal Judge in Michigan did not rule on releasing members of the Hutaree Militia on bond after two days and ten hours of testimony. Members of the Hutaree Militia are accused of weapons violations and conspiring to commit sedition. Prosecutors contend they are a danger to the public because... more »

• Judge says prove Militia isn't dangerous

  April 27, 2010 8:27 PM

  A federal judge says defense lawyers representing members of the Hutaree Militia in Michigan must prove the members aren't dangerous before she'll consider bail. Judge Victoria Roberts is hearing appeals of another judge's detention order. She told defense lawyers the burden is on them to show why their clients should... more »

• Baton Rouge reacts to prayer day ruling

  April 16, 2010 5:25 PM

  A federal judge in Wisconsin ruled the National Day of Prayer unconstitutional Thursday. U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb says it violates separation of church and state. James Drumgole, pastor of Living Word Church in Baton Rouge, says the judge's ruling won't influence the time he devotes to prayer. ... more »

• Stanford again wants new lawyers

  March 30, 2010 8:53 PM

  The Texas financier accused of a massive Ponzi scheme that allegedly bilked millions out of investors in the Baton Rouge area wants another set of lawyers. R.Allen Stanford filed court papers in federal court in Houston asking a judge to let him replace two lawyers. If granted, it would be... more »

• Judge mulls repairs for homes with Chinese drywall

  March 15, 2010 4:20 PM

  A federal judge on Monday began considering how a Louisiana home tainted by sulfur-emitting Chinese drywall should be fixed, with plaintiffs calling for a complete overhaul of a home and a Chinese wallboard company arguing that removing the drywall and making selective repairs would suffice. U.S. District Judge Eldon... more »

• Vitter blocking appointments

  January 10, 2010 4:37 PM

  U.S. Sen. David Vitter is blocking the confirmation of two of President Barack Obama's nominations in Louisiana until he is assured the President won't remove a high-profile U.S. attorney in New Orleans. The two candidates are Brian Jackson for a judgeship in Baton Rouge, and Genevieve Lynn May as... more »