Understanding When Louisiana Laws Apply: A Guide to Prospective and Retroactive Effects Imagine you’re involved in a legal matter, and the legislature passes a new law. Does it affect your situation? Or does it only apply moving forward? The timing of when a law takes effect — and whether it…
The Unforeseen Gaps: Why Laws Can’t Cover Everything Imagine Louisiana’s laws as a vast, detailed tapestry woven to guide every aspect of daily life. Even so, no legal system — no matter how comprehensive — can anticipate every possible situation. So, what happens when a dispute arises in court, and…
The Building Blocks of Justice: How Louisiana Laws Are Made Louisiana’s legal system is unique, drawing heavily from its Civil Code tradition. Unlike many other states that primarily rely on ‘common law’ (judge-made law), our system is rooted in comprehensive written statutes. But where do these rules come from, and…
In a recent Louisiana lawsuit, a woman’s attempt to sue her ex-husband for damages related to alleged domestic abuse during their marriage was initially blocked by the doctrine of res judicata. However, the Court of Appeal reversed that decision, shedding light on the limits of res judicata in cases involving…