Judge LaKeisha N. Jefferson
Division H
OFFICE HOURS - Room 303
Monday through Friday
9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Phone: (504)407-0270
Fax: (504) 522-5820
Minute Clerk: Constance Barley Court Crier: Jerry Settle
cbarley@orleanscdc.com jsettle@orleanscdc.com
Law Clerk: Raven Burnett Court Reporter: Sheylli Pantoja
rburnett@orleanscdc.com spantoja@orleanscdc.com
DIVISION PROCEDURES
RULES
Rules are scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on Fridays.
Rule 10, Section 1
No motion relative to discovery will be heard by this Court unless accompanied by a certificate of counsel for the moving party, stating that counsel have conferred in person or by telephone for purposes of amicably resolving the issues and stating why they are unable to agree or stating that opposing counsel has willfully refused to confer after reasonable notice.
All opposition and/or reply memoranda must be filed at least eight (8) calendar days prior to the time of the hearing. A copy of this memo should be hand delivered to the law clerk in the division.
TRIALS
All trials are scheduled for 9:00 AM. Jury Charges and Jury Interrogatories may be submitted electronically on disc.
All motions to set for trial are assigned a pre-trial/status conference date. If local Rule 10, Section 1 has been complied with, trial dates are given at this time. Otherwise, discovery deadlines are established.
Once a trial date is selected, the only filing deadline is a "Joint Pre-trial Outline" due ten (10) days prior to trial. A copy of the Outline is given out at the pre-trial/status conference and/or mailed with the Notice of Trial. The Joint Pre-Trial Outline must be completely filled out. There are no reservations of rights.
In order to be heard, motions for summary judgment, Daubert motions, and motions in limine must be filed at least sixty (60) days prior to trial. The caption for the motion should state the trial date.
All matters are pre-tried before the Judge on the morning of trial. Additional conferences may be requested and scheduled as needed.
Rule 9.14, Appendix 8
All issues propounded in the principal and incidental demands have been joined; that cases which should be consolidated have been consolidated; all exceptions have been disposed of; motions for summary judgment heard; all discovery completed; and that the case is ready for trial on the merits. Mover must certify that counsel for ALL parties have conferred in person, to confirm the foregoing!
STATUS CONFERENCES
Status conferences are set by the Law Clerk or Minute Clerk depending on the reasons why a status conference is requested.
Upon motion of any party, settlement conferences may be set by either the Law Clerk or Minute Clerk. A settlement conference may be requested at any time, but preferably after a trial date has been scheduled. Mandatory confidential quantum memoranda or position papers are due from all parties seventy-two (72) hours prior to the settlement conference.