Baton Rouge judge temporarily blocks elimination of New Orleans judgeships
A Baton Rouge judge has temporarily blocked a new state law that would’ve eliminated three Orleans Parish Criminal District Court judgeships.
Judge Tarvald Smith of the 19th Judicial District Court in East Baton Rouge Parish granted a preliminary injunction Tuesday that pauses Act 748 of the 2026 legislative session, according to court records.
Smith’s ruling offers a temporary reprieve for Judges John Fuller, Simone Levine and Rhonda Goode-Douglas who are slated to lose their seats. It leaves open the possibility that they could run for election in those districts again. The period to sign up to be a candidate in judicial races is Aug. 5-7.
Act 748 arose from a bill sponsored by Sen. Jay Morris, R-Monroe, slashing the number of Orleans Parish criminal court judges from 12 to 9. The new law also eliminated four other judgeships from the city’s juvenile and municipal and traffic courts.
https://lailluminator.com/2026/07/15/baton-rouge-judge-temporarily-blocks-elimination-of-new-orleans-judgeships/