State Of Louisiana v. Christopher Grant

STATE OF LOUISIANA

STATE OF LOUISIANA NO. 2023 KW 1241

VERSUS

CHRISTOPHER GRANT DECEMBER 4, 2023

In Re: State of Louisiana, applying for supervisory writs,

17th Judicial District Court, Parish of Lafourche, No.

589557.

BEFORE: WELCH, HOLDRIDGE, AND WOLFE, JJ.

WRIT DENIED. " A court possesses inherently all powers

for the exercise of its jurisdiction and the
necessary
enforcement of its lawful orders, including authority to issue

such writs and orders as may be necessary or proper in aid of

its jurisdiction. It has the duty to require that criminal

proceedings shall be conducted with dignity and in an orderly
and expeditious manner and to so control the proceedings that

justice is done." La. Code Crim. P. art. 17. The trial court

should exercise its inherent authority to order that the

is repaired to guarantee that the
elevator expeditiously
courthouse provides reasonable accommodations to any individual

to to access the
with a disability ensure equal opportunity
court' s facilities. See La. R. S. 46: 2594( B)( 1).

Holdridge J., dissents. I would order the trial court to

conduct the trial in question within thirty days. While the

court is required to ensure that reasonable accommodations are

made for all jurors and users of the court that have a

the trial the District Attorney
disability, court cannot stop
from conducting criminal jury trials nor the people of Lafourche
Parish from having the right to criminal justice. The trial

court should arrange to use the courtrooms in the courthouse

that have working elevators so that criminal trials may be held
in the Seventeenth Judicial District in a timely manner. All

judges of the Seventeenth Judicial District Court should work

together so that criminal justice is not impeded in the parish

by the lack of elevators at the annex.

COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT

LQL1
12 p
EPUTY CLERK OF COURT
FOR THE COURT