Proper Courtroom Decorum

Do you recall your first appearance as a lawyer in a courtroom?  If you were like many newly-admitted lawyers, you probably had countless questions running through your head.  Am I dressed properly?  Where should I sit?  When do I stand? Where do I find the answers to these questions? 

In this segment, ELLI takes a lighthearted but important look at some of the Louisiana District Court Rules addressing proper courtroom conduct and decorum.

Annual Requirements Deadline Aug. 1

✓ LADB Assessment
✓ Trust Account Form
✓ LSBA Dues
✓ Registration Statement

Louisiana State Bar Association (LSBA) members must pay their 2020-21 LSBA dues and Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board (LADB) assessment and file their Attorney Registration Statement and Louisiana Supreme Court Trust Account Disclosure and Overdraft Notification Authorization Form by August 1.

File your Trust Account Registration at the LADB's website here.

File your LSBA Attorney Registration Statement and pay your LSBA Membership Dues and LADB Assessment at the LSBA's website. In addition, if your contact information has changed, make sure to update your information with the LSBA. Click here.

Recent Rules and Decisions

IN RE OTHA CURTIS NELSON, SR. (Baton Rouge), 2020-B-00140 (5/1/20): The Court suspended the respondent for one year and one day for repeatedly filing frivolous motions to recuse judges, neglecting a legal matter, and failing to communicate with a client.

Consent Discipline:

IN RE ANDREW ADAMS (Lake Charles), 2020-B-00369 (5/1/20): The Court disbarred the respondent based upon his arrest on charges of solicitation of prostitution, abuse of office, and malfeasance in office, and his subsequent plea of guilty to solicitation of prostitution.

Reciprocal Discipline:

IN RE CHRISTIAN DREW CHESSON (Lake Charles), 2020-B-00073 (5/1/20): The Court declined to impose additional discipline on the respondent in response to his ninety-day suspension from the practice of law in Bankruptcy Court in the Western District of Louisiana.

Permanent Resignation in Lieu of Discipline:

IN RE P. MICHAEL DOHERTY BREEDEN III (New Orleans), 2020-B-00315 (4/27/20).

Probation Revoked:

IN RE TYRONE F. WATKINS (Gretna), 2020-B-00206 (4/27/20): The Court revoked the probation of the respondent, making the previously deferred three-month suspension executory. See In re Watkins, 18-1332 (La. 11/14/18), 256 So. 3d 259.