2024 Third Extraordinary Session ENROLLED
SENATE BILL NO. 1
BY SENATOR MORRIS AND REPRESENTATIVE MCMAKIN
1 A JOINT RESOLUTION
2 Proposing to amend Article V, Sections 5(B), 15(A), and 16(A) of the Constitution of
3 Louisiana, relative to jurisdiction of courts; to provide for disciplinary proceedings
4 over attorneys from other jurisdictions concerning legal services in the state and over
5 related unethical practices; to authorize creation of courts of limited or specialized
6 jurisdiction; and to specify an election for submission of the proposition to electors
7 and provide a ballot proposition.
8 Section 1. Be it resolved by the Legislature of Louisiana, two-thirds of the members
9 elected to each house concurring, that there shall be submitted to the electors of the state, for
10 their approval or rejection in the manner provided by law, a proposal to amend Article V,
11 Sections 5(B), 15(A), and 16(A) of the Constitution of Louisiana, to read as follows:
12 §5. Supreme Court; Jurisdiction; Rule-Making Power; Assignment of Judges
13 Section 5.(A)
14 * * *
15 (B) Original Jurisdiction. The supreme court has exclusive original
16 jurisdiction of disciplinary proceedings against a member of the bar and any lawyer
17 specially admitted by a court of this state for a particular proceeding, as well as
18 any lawyer not admitted in this state who practices law or renders or offers to
19 render any legal services in this state.
20 * * *
21 §15. Courts; Retention; Jurisdiction; Judicial District Changes; Terms
22 Section 15.(A) Court Retention; Trial Courts of Limited Jurisdiction. The
23 district, family, juvenile, parish, city, and magistrate courts existing on the effective
24 date of this constitution are retained. Subject to the limitations in Sections 16 and 21
25 of this Article, the legislature by law may abolish or merge trial courts of limited or
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1 specialized jurisdiction. The legislature by law may establish trial courts of limited
2 or specialized jurisdiction with parishwide territorial jurisdiction and subject matter
3 jurisdiction which shall be uniform throughout the state by law enacted by two-
4 thirds of the elected members of each house of the legislature. Effective January
5 1, 2007, the legislature by law may establish new judgeships for district courts and
6 establish the new divisions with limited or specialized jurisdiction within the
7 territorial jurisdiction of the district court and subject matter jurisdiction over family
8 or juvenile matters as provided by law. The office of city marshal is continued until
9 the city court he serves is abolished.
10 * * *
11 §16. District Courts; Jurisdiction
12 Section 16.(A) Original Jurisdiction. (1) Except as otherwise authorized by
13 this constitution or except as heretofore or hereafter provided by law for
14 administrative agency determinations in worker's compensation matters, a district
15 court shall have original jurisdiction of all civil and criminal matters. (2) It Except
16 as otherwise authorized under this constitution, it shall have exclusive original
17 jurisdiction of felony cases and of cases involving title to immovable property,
18 except as provided in (3) below; the right to office or other public position; civil or
19 political right; probate and succession matters; except for administrative agency
20 determination provided for in (1) above, the state, a political corporation, or political
21 subdivisions, or a succession, as a defendant; and the appointment of receivers or
22 liquidators for corporations or partnerships. (3) The legislature may provide by law
23 that a family court has jurisdiction of cases involving title to movable and
24 immovable property when those cases relate to the partition of community property
25 and the settlement of claims arising from matrimonial regimes when such action
26 arises as a result of divorce or annulment of marriage.
27 * * *
28 Section 2. Be it further resolved that this proposed amendment shall be submitted to
29 the electors of the state of Louisiana at the statewide election to be held on March 29, 2025,
30 or at a statewide election authorized by law, whichever occurs first.
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1 Section 3. Be it further resolved that on the official ballot to be used at said election
2 there shall be printed a proposition, upon which the electors of the state shall be permitted
3 to vote YES or NO, to amend the Constitution of Louisiana, which proposition shall read as
4 follows:
5 Do you support an amendment granting the Louisiana Supreme Court
6 jurisdiction to discipline out-of-state lawyers for unethical legal practices in
7 the state of Louisiana, and to grant the legislature the authority to establish
8 trial courts of limited and specialized jurisdiction?
9 (Amends Article V, Sections 5(B), 15(A) and 16(A))
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.