On August 29, 2021, Hurricane Ida came ashore near Port Fourchon, Louisiana and left destruction throughout south Louisiana as a major Category 4 Hurricane.1 Major Hurricane-force winds, with gusts in excess of 192 mph inflicted catastrophic damage throughout south Louisiana and hurricane force winds impacted this Court's jurisdiction. The causes of action arising therefrom may sometimes be referred to as "Hurricane Cases."
In the aftermath of these catastrophic natural disasters, this Court recognizes the likelihood of a high volume of insurance coverage-related litigation linked to the Hurricane. In Act 318 of the 2021 Regular Session the Legislature of Louisiana amended the laws expanding judicial authority related to special masters and mandatory mediation in cases stemming from certain major disasters ("Act 318").
Act 318 authorizes this court to issue this CMO, this Court finds it warranted to best accommodate the adjudication of Hurricane cases in this Court.5 Accordingly, this Court's aim continues to be the just and expedient resolution of these related matters, in spite of the increased strain on the Court's resources, and with the primary goal of enabling the New Orleans community to move forward with crucial recovery efforts, in the aftermath of the Hurricane and the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.