STATE OF LOUISIANA COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT JAMEEL LATHAM NO. 2020 CW 0517 VERSUS

STATE OF LOUISIANA, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 14, 2020 THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND CORRECTIONS AND HACKLEY WILLIS

In Re: State of Louisiana, through the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, and Hackley Willis, applying for supervisory writs, 19th Judicial District Court, Parish of East Baton Rouge, No. 690222.

BEFORE: MCCLENDON, WELCH, AND HOLDRIDGE, JJ.

WRIT GRANTED. The district court' s June 3, 2020 judgment, ordering a report on any and all outstanding costs owed to the 19th Judicial District Court Clerk of Court by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections in all litigation over which Assistant Attorney General Kathi Logan, Transportation Section Chief, has supervisory authority, is vacated. The Department of Public Safety and Corrections is statutorily authorized to defer payment of court costs until a final judgment is rendered against it. See La. R. S. 13: 4521( A)( 1), 13: 4581, & 13: 5112( A) & B). Moreover, the district court has authorized the instant defendants to proceed without advancing court costs. Therefore, such a report is unnecessary and irrelevant to the underlying litigation.

PMC JEW

Holdridge, J., concurs. The district court inquire may about court costs directly with the Department of Public Safety and Corrections or with its Clerk of Court' s office but may not make such inquires as part of this litigation.

COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT

DEPUT CLERK OF COURT FOR THE COURT