WBRZ - Baton Rouge

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• Drunk driver's sentence reduced to 35 years

  May 14, 2013 10:13 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A judge reduced the sentence today of Brett Gerald, the man who killed seven people in a drunken crash in East Baton Rouge Parish, in order to comply with a Supreme Court ruling. Gerald received a 70-year sentence after pleading guilty back in March. Today Judge... more »

• Future of school funding in question

  May 8, 2013 10:39 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Lawmakers working on next year's budget now have new questions to answer when it comes to school funding. The Louisiana Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that the state can't use its normal school funding formula for its voucher program. Critics of the program said doing so took... more »

• Voucher controversy and uncertainty leaves parents in limbo Play Video

  May 7, 2013 10:21 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Private schools and Governor Bobby Jindal tell benefactors not to worry, but parents are the ones left in a state of uncertainty when it comes to vouchers. Tuesday, the Louisiana Supreme Court ruled funding of the state's voucher program was unconstitutional. Lawmakers used money set aside... more »

• Definition of family declared unconstitutional Play Video

  April 25, 2013 6:16 PM

  BATON ROUGE - District Court Judge Janice Clark declared the East Baton Rouge Parish's definition of family unconstitutional. Before today, three or more unrelated people could not live together in neighborhoods zoned for single-family housing. Since 1954, East Baton Rouge's Unified Development Code has defined family as "an individual... more »

• DOJ considers appeal of morning-after pill ruling

  April 5, 2013 4:13 PM

  WASHINGTON - The Justice Department hasn't yet said whether it will appeal today's ruling by a federal judge, striking down the age restrictions on the over-the-counter purchases of the morning-after pill. The judge said the restrictions are "arbitrary" and "unreasonable," and that they must end within 30 days. That means... more »

• NYC appeals ruling striking down soda size limit

  March 28, 2013 3:07 PM

  NEW YORK- New York City is asking appeals judges to reinstate a ban on supersized sodas and other sugary drinks. A Manhattan judge struck down the first-of-its-kind measure March 11, a day before it was to take effect. The rule would prohibit many eateries from selling high-sugar drinks in more... more »

• Court could avoid wide-ranging ruling on gay marriage

  March 26, 2013 5:18 PM

  WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court could end up avoiding a major national ruling on whether America's gays have a right to marry. During arguments today on California's ban on same-sex marriage, several justices raised doubts that the case should even be before them. And Justice Anthony Kennedy -- possibly the... more »

• Public braves snow for gay marriage case tickets

  March 25, 2013 10:48 AM

  WASHINGTON - People waiting to attend to gay marriage cases being heard by the U.S. Supreme Court have been undeterred by snow falling in the nation's capital. More than three dozen people were waiting Monday to get tickets to the cases, which will be heard Tuesday and Wednesday. Many of... more »

• Appeals court rules for La. monks in casket fight

  March 20, 2013 12:38 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal appeals court says Benedictine monks may keep selling caskets from their monastery in Louisiana. The three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a ruling in favor of St. Joseph Abbey and against the state board of funeral directors' rule that only... more »

• State appeals voucher ruling in court Play Video

  March 19, 2013 10:03 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - Louisiana Supreme Court justices will hear arguments this afternoon from state attorneys as they appeal the ruling against the controversial school voucher program. Supporters of the program gathered on the courthouse steps to hold a rally this morning. District Court Judge Tim Kelley ruled the... more »

• Education reform ruling victory for teachers group Play Video

  March 4, 2013 6:03 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana Federation of Teachers is applauding the judge who struck down the third part of Gov. Jindal's education reform, ruling it unconstitutional. President of LFT Steve Monaghan says, since the law has been enacted, it's created tension among the state's educators. "It was a... more »

• Judge rules for fired Port Allen financial officer

  February 20, 2013 12:52 PM

  PORT ALLEN - A judge ruled today that Port Allen's mayor had no authority to fire the city's chief financial officer, and ordered she give her job back. Judge Alvin Batiste said Audrey McCain was a department head, so Mayor "Deedy" Slaughter could not have fired her. Slaughter... more »

• Sanity ruling postponed in disabled boy's beheading

  February 13, 2013 4:50 PM

  THIBODAUX - A Lafourche Parish judge postponed a ruling on whether a man accused of beheading his disabled son is fit to stand trial for first-degree murder. District Judge John LeBlanc had said he would rule Wednesday on whether to try Jeremiah Wright for the death of 7-year-old Jori Lirette... more »

• Judge rules state retirement plan unconstitutional

  January 24, 2013 4:17 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A Baton Rouge judge has ruled Gov. Bobby Jindal's 401(k)-style retirement plan for future rank-and-file state workers unconstitutional. The Retired State Employees Association of Louisiana claimed the law is unconstitutional because it didn't get a two-thirds vote in the state House of Representatives. State District Judge William... 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 »

• Judge hears arguments on Sandusky trial fairness

  January 10, 2013 10:48 AM

  BELLEFONTE, Pa. - A judge has heard arguments from Jerry Sandusky's attorneys about the fairness of his trial but did not issue a ruling. The proceeding Thursday in central Pennsylvania related to Sandusky's claim that his lawyers didn't have enough time to prepare for his molestation trial. Sandusky's post-sentencing motions... more »

• Tagliabue bounty ruling coming this afternoon

  December 11, 2012 10:25 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - More than nine months after the NFL first disclosed its bounty investigation of the New Orleans Saints, four players will finally get a ruling on whether their initial suspensions are upheld, reduced or thrown out. Former Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who was appointed to handle a second... more »

• BP official appeals medical exam order

  December 5, 2012 11:31 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A BP PLC employee has asked a federal appeals court to overturn a judge's ruling that he must submit to a medical exam to determine whether he is fit to be questioned under oath in civil litigation spawned by the Deepwater Horizon disaster. A three-judge panel of... more »

• Ruling expected this afternoon in voucher lawsuit

  November 30, 2012 10:48 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Closing arguments ended a short time ago in the lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Gov. Bobby Jindal's new school voucher program. Judge Tim Kelley recessed the court until 2 p.m., at which time he plans to give his ruling. Teacher unions and school boards say... more »

• Court seems unclear on house versus boat question

  October 1, 2012 12:31 PM

  WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court seems torn on when the law should treat some floating homes as houseboats and when it should treat them as houses. The question came up Monday as the court was trying to figure out whether Riviera Beach, Florida should have used maritime law to seize... more »

• Judge: Police to enforce Ariz. immigration law now

  September 18, 2012 3:29 PM

  PHOENIX - A judge has ruled that police in Arizona can immediately start enforcing the most contentious section of the state's immigration law. The ruling on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton marks the first time police can carry out the 2010 law's requirement that officers, while enforcing other... more »

• Saints players' bounty suspensions overturned Play Video

  September 7, 2012 3:04 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - An NFL appeals panel overturned the suspensions of four current and former Saints players accused of taking part in a team bounty program. The panel ruled today that Jonathan Vilma, Anthony Hargrove, Will Smith and Scott Fujita would have their suspensions lifted. They were reinstated by... more »

• NY judge: Poker's not gambling under federal law

  August 21, 2012 4:02 PM

  NEW YORK - A federal judge in New York has handed a victory to poker advocates, ruling the card game isn't gambling under federal law because it's primarily a game of skill, not chance. The decision Tuesday by Judge Jack Weinstein in Brooklyn is likely to be embraced by advocates... more »

• Carencro chief seeks ruling on private duty

  July 23, 2012 9:48 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Carencro Police Chief Carlos Stout wants to know if he and other chiefs can be hired to do private security, just like off-duty police officers. The Louisiana Board of Ethics postponed a decision Friday, opting to continue its analysis until next month's meeting. Board staff... more »

• State leaders disagree on next step after health care ruling Play Video

  June 29, 2012 6:07 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Governor Jindal says Louisiana will not implement any of President Obama's health care plans, while others called for the state to start working on the reforms. Jindal says his focus will be on helping the GOP defeat President Obama in November and repeal the entire plan. He... more »

• Small biz: questions, waiting after health ruling

  June 28, 2012 5:28 PM

  NEW YORK - A big worry for small businesses who were against the Obama administration's health care law was that it would increase their costs. But now that the Supreme Court has upheld it, some small companies could opt to go a route that will save them thousands of dollars... more »

• Romney, Obama look to use court ruling to their advantage

  June 28, 2012 11:34 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are both gearing up to use today's Supreme Court decision on health care for political gain. Romney, an opponent of the law, is planning to cast himself as the best hope for millions of Americans who favor the law's repeal. He says... more »

• Local doctors, patients still have reform questions

  June 28, 2012 11:06 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Local doctors and their patients still have questions about what today's Supreme Court ruling over healthcare reform means to them. Many people with pre-existing conditions have been able to get insurance after the Affordable Care Act was passed and signed into law. Today's ruling upheld the... more »

• Health care ruling expected today

  June 28, 2012 6:44 AM

  WASHINGTON - The stakes are huge as the anticipation grows for today's announcement of the Supreme Court's decision on the health care overhaul, but no matter what the court decides, it's unlikely to be the final word. The problems of high medical costs, widespread waste and tens of millions of... more »

• Mexico laments part of US immigration ruling

  June 25, 2012 5:06 PM

  MEXICO CITY - The Mexican government says it's disappointed that the U.S. Supreme Court upheld part of an Arizona law requiring police check the immigration status of anyone they stop. Mexico's Foreign Relations Secretary notes that Monday's ruling set aside as unconstitutional three parts of the controversial law, including the... more »

• Court strikes down Montana law rather than re-examining Citizens United ruling

  June 25, 2012 4:58 PM

  WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court is rejecting a plea that it take another look at its ruling from two years ago on campaign finance. Instead, the court today struck down a Montana law that limits corporate campaign spending. The same five conservative justices who made up the majority in the... more »

• Ruling against Defense of Marriage Act won't be applied until Supreme Court acts

  May 31, 2012 12:24 PM

  BOSTON - A federal appeals court is rejecting part of the Defense of Marriage Act -- but today's ruling won't be enforced until the U.S. Supreme Court decides the case. That means same-sex married couples won't be eligible to receive the benefits denied to them under that law until the... more »

• Strict new Mississippi abortion law

  April 12, 2012 4:02 PM

  JACKSON- Mississippi's already strict abortion laws are set to become even tighter amid social conservatives' efforts to shut the state's only abortion clinic. The new law awaits Republican Gov. Phil Bryant's promised signature. With it, women's legal options could be restricted to finding a doctor willing to quietly terminate a... more »

• Vermilion Parish to appeal tax ruling

  February 23, 2012 7:16 AM

  ABBEVILLE - The Vermilion Parish Police Jury has voted unanimously to appeal a state court ruling that prohibits the Vermilion Hurricane Flood Protection District from imposing a parish-wide tax in the city of Abbeville. State District Judge Jules Edwards issued the ruling. The 5.7-mill tax for coastal storm protection, if... more »

• Judge rules against Occupy Wall Street encampment

  November 15, 2011 5:28 PM

  NEW YORK - A New York judge has upheld the city's dismantling of the Occupy Wall Street encampment, saying the protesters' first amendment rights don't entitle them to camp out indefinitely in the plaza. The judge denied a motion by the demonstrators seeking to be allowed back into the... more »

• BP loses 2 big Gulf oil spill rulings

  November 15, 2011 1:58 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - BP has lost two big rulings in its fight to shield itself from potentially having to pay billions of dollars more in damages related to the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history. A federal judge ruled Tuesday that BP PLC is not entitled to coverage... 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 »

• Judge sends father in beheading case to mental hospital

  October 18, 2011 2:46 PM

  THIBODAUX, La. - A state judge has ruled that 30-year-old Jeremiah Wright cannot understand the first-degree murder charge against him or help his defense. Judge John LeBlanc based his ruling Tuesday on reports from two court-appointed psychiatrists. He then put both reports under seal. District Attorney Camille... more »

• Appeals court overturns Tiger Truck Stop decision

  August 29, 2011 2:38 PM

  BATON ROUGE - An appeals court today threw out a ruling the state couldn't issue any new large animal permits to Tiger Truck Stop, whose big cat has been the center of big controversy among animal rights groups. The decision by the First Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a... 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 »

• Judge: No more permits for truck stop tiger

  May 6, 2011 10:57 AM

  BATON ROUGE - The owner of a tiger on display at an Iberville Parish truck stop will not receive any new permits to keep the animal, according to a judge's ruling today. The Advocate reports District Judge Mike Caldwell ruled that the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries can't... more »

• Court denies coach's reverse discrimination claims

  May 5, 2011 9:30 AM

  BATON ROUGE- A court has ruled in favor of the East Baton Rouge Parish School System in a reverse discrimination trial. Gary Burnett, the former head football coach at Glen Oaks High School, claims he was fired because he's white and the principal, who is black, made racially-charged comments... more »

• Court hears gay dads' birth certificate case

  January 19, 2011 3:16 PM

  NEW ORLEANS- Whether a child suffers harm from not having both adoptive parents' names on a birth certificate was one of the issues before an appeals court as Louisiana fought an order to put two homosexual men's names on the certificate of a child adopted in another state. Today's... more »

• WH: Health care ruling does not create uncertainty

  December 13, 2010 1:09 PM

  WASHINGTON - The White House says it disagrees with a Virginia judge's ruling declaring a key provision of President Barack Obama's health care law unconstitutional. But officials say it does not create uncertainty about the implementation of the law's provisions. "Our belief is that when all the legal wrangling is... 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 »

• Judge says Greed No Good in New York

  November 15, 2010 7:20 PM

  A judge in New York says the former wife of actor Michael Douglas can't try to get at his earnings there from his recent "Wall Street" sequel. The two were divorced in California after 23 years together and Diandra Douglas' attempt to get money belongs in another state. Her camp... more »

• La. Board of Ethics no longer able to hold hearings

  November 8, 2010 8:58 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A judge ruled today the Louisiana Board of Ethics doesn’t have the final say in ethics violations concerning political candidates. Governor Bobby Jindal carried the mantle of ethics reform into office and onto the legislative agenda when he first took office in 2008. Two years later, the... more »

• Dog in Denham Springs attack will not be put down

  November 2, 2010 2:03 PM

  LIVINGSTON – A dog that attacked a man in Denham Springs and bit his genitals will not be put down, after its owner and prosecutors reached an agreement today. Perry Rushing with the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office said the dog, named “Big Boy”, will instead be declared as dangerous and... 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 »

• Judge orders 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' injunction

  October 12, 2010 2:40 PM

  A federal judge has issued a worldwide injunction stopping enforcement of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, ending the military's 17-year-old ban on openly gay troops. U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips' landmark ruling Tuesday was widely cheered by gay rights organizations that credited her with getting accomplished what President Obama... more »

• Obama administration to appeal stem cell ruling

  August 24, 2010 5:12 PM

  The Obama administration will appeal a court ruling that undercut its efforts to expand stem cell research, the Justice Department said Tuesday. The appeal is expected this week, said spokesman Matthew Miller. On Monday, a federal judge ruled that the stem cell research violated the will of Congress in prohibiting... more »

• Titanic Ruling over Shipwreck Artifacts

  August 13, 2010 8:40 PM

  A federal judge in Virginia ruled a company is entitled to the value of about 5,900 aritfacts it salvaged from the wreck of the Titanic. But, the judge postponed a decision on whether to simply give the company title to the artifacts or sell them and turn the proceeds over... more »

• Judge sells Exxon stock before drilling ruling

  June 28, 2010 10:55 AM

  A federal judge who overturned President Obama's six-month deepwater drilling ban says he learned he owned stock after he heard the case. U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman has asked his broker to sell the stocks as soon as the market opened on June 22. He says he does not... more »

• Judges overturn sex offender rule

  March 31, 2010 6:44 AM

  An appeals court ruled the state cannot require a man to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life or carry a special driver's license and identification card. The ruling overturns a state judge's ruling against Jimmy L. Smith who was convicted of indecent behavior with a... more »

• Judge rules against lesbian teen in prom decision

  March 23, 2010 3:32 PM

  A federal judge says he won't force a Mississippi school district to hold a prom canceled after a lesbian student asked to bring her girlfriend. The American Civil Liberties Union sued in U.S. District Court to force the Itawamba County school district to sponsor the prom and allow Constance... more »

• Scott Wilfong faces ethics charges

  March 11, 2010 7:34 AM

  An ethics panel has refused to throw out charges against Baton Rouge Republican activist Scott Wilfong, who is accused of violating campaign finance disclosure laws. The charges in the case stem from Wilfong's role in the circulation of an anti-Kip Holden flier in the 2008 mayor's race. Wilfong's attorney Crosby... more »

• Federal judge rules against CITGO in spill

  March 9, 2010 6:53 AM

  A federal judge has shot down efforts by CITGO Petroleum to limit the fines and special conditions it could face in a federal Clean Water Act lawsuit over a June 2006 oil spill at the company's Lake Charles refinery. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Richard Haik comes in a... more »

• Silverdome sale okayed

  December 18, 2009 8:44 PM

  A judge told some residents of Pontiac, Michigan he won't stop the sale of the empty Pontiac Silverdome to a Canadian company which plans to use it for sporting events. The residents sued to block the sale of the Silverdome for $583,000 because it cost $56-million when it was built... more »

• Judge rules in favor of the Iberville Parish School Board

  October 20, 2009 4:24 PM

  Update : A judge has ruled in the favor the Iberville Parish School Board after a trial today concerning the closing of North Iberville High School. The judge ruled that the school board did not violate any laws in coming to the conclusion to close the school. He also... more »