Supreme Court of Louisiana, 2002

Toston v. Pardon

Toston v. Pardon
Supreme Court of Louisiana · Decided February 13, 2002 · Application, Calogero, Deny, Johnson, Kimball
809 So. 2d 973; 2002 La. LEXIS 704; 2002 WL 389323 (Southern Reporter, Second Series)

Toston v. Pardon

Opinion of the Court

In re State of Louisiana DOTD; Department of Transportation & Dev.; — Defendants; Applying for Supervisory and/or Remedial Writs, Parish of East Carroll, 6th Judicial District Court Div. A, No. 18,335; to the Court of Appeal, Second Circuit, No. 36125-CW.

Granted. The court of appeal’s judgment is reversed and the trial court’s judgment on the motion in limine is reinstated.

Dissenting Opinion

CALOGERO, C.J.,

dissents from the court’s action. I would prefer to stay the trial, and grant and docket to review the legal issue herein; otherwise, I would deny the writ application for the reasons expressed by Justice KIMBALL. Furthermore, it is a poor practice to decide issues of this sort in such a hurried fashion without benefit of briefing and argument from the lawyers on both sides. Writ denials form no precedent for further cases. Unfortunately, writ grants with order and/or with reasons do have precedential effect, and guide trial judges and trial attorneys in future matters.

KIMBALL, J.,

I would deny the writ because there is neither legislation nor custom in this state that prevents a jury from being informed of the cap on damages contained in La. R.S. 13:5106(B)(1). The legislature has not seen fit to create a law in this matter, and it is not within our province to do so precipitously through a court order.

JOHNSON, J., would deny the application.

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