Clerk of Court For the Court James Ryan Newhart v. Diedre Pierce Kelly And Arthur Morrell, In His Official Capacity As Clerk Of Court In The Parish Of Orleans, State Of Louisiana C/w C. Gary Wainwright Vs. Diedre Pierce Kelly And The Honorable Arthur

The Supreme Court of the State of Louisiana
Clerk of Court
For the Court
JAMES RYAN NEWHART
VS.
DIEDRE PIERCE KELLY AND ARTHUR
MORRELL, IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY AS
CLERK OF COURT IN THE PARISH OF
ORLEANS, STATE OF LOUISIANA
C/W
C. GARY WAINWRIGHT
VS.
DIEDRE PIERCE KELLY AND THE
HONORABLE ARTHUR A. MORRELL
No.2020-C-01001
_ _ _ _ _ _
IN RE: James Ryan Newhart - Applicant Plaintiff; Election, Parish of Orleans Civil,
Civil District Court Number(s) 2020-6387 c/w 2020-6401, Court of Appeal, Fourth
Circuit, Number(s) 20-CA-0374 c/w 20-CA-0375;
_ _ _ _ _ _
August 17, 2020
Writ application granted. See per curiam.
JTG
JLW
SJC
WJC
JHB
Hughes, J., would deny.
Johnson, C.J., recused.
Supreme Court of Louisiana
August 17, 2020
08/17/2020 "See News Release 030 for any Concurrences and/or Dissents."

08/17/20
SUPREME COURT OF LOUISIANA
No. 2020-C-1001
James Ryan Newhart
vs.
Diedre Pierce Kelly and
Arthur Morrell, in his Official Capacity as the Clerk of Court for the Parish of
Orleans, State of Louisiana
On Supervisory Writ to the Civil District Court,
Parish of Orleans
Granted. Louisiana Constitution article V, § 24 states that potential candidates
“shall have been admitted to the practice of law in the state” for eight years in
order to qualify for a district judicial seat (emphasis added). Ms. Kelly was admitted
to the bar on October 20, 2011. She was suspended from the practice of law between
April 2, 2015, and November 15, 2016. It follows that the period of her suspension
did not accrue towards the required eight years o f admission to the practice of law.
Thus, the lower courts’ rulin gs are reversed, an d Ms. Kelly is disqualified as a
candidate for Orleans Parish Criminal District Court Judge, Section “K.”