The Lathan Company v. State of Louisiana, Department of Education, Recovery School District

STATE OF LOUISIANA
COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT

THE LATHAN COMPANY NO. 2026 CW 0540
VERSUS

STATE OF LOUISIANA,
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION,
RECOVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT,
AND JOHN WHITE IN HIS
OFFICIAL CAPACITY AS THE
STATE OF LOUISIANA
SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION

CONSOLIDATED WITH

GUARANTEE COMPANY OF NORTH
AMERICA

VERSUS

STATE OF LOUISIANA,
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION,
RECOVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT AUGUST 03, 2026

In Re: Jacobs Project Management Co./CSRS Consortium,
applying for supervisory writs, 19th Judicial District
Court, Parish of East Baton Rouge, No. 612067 c/w
635780.

BEFORE : McCLENDON, STROMBERG AND EDWARDS, JJ.

WRIT GRANTED. The portion of the district court's March 5,
2026 judgment denying the motion for summary judgment filed by
defendant, Jacobs Project Management Co./CSRS Consortium, is
reversed. After a de novo review of the evidence, this court
finds that no genuine issue of material fact remains and the
contracts between the parties do not impose a duty upon Jacobs
to protect Lathan from the specific allegations of negligence
for which it seeks recovery. Jacobs cannot be held liable for
failing to perform duties that are contractually allocated to
other parties, nor for failing to perform duties which it is
contractually prohibited from performing. See Bonilla v. Verges
Rome Architects, 2023-00928 (La. 3/22/24), 382 So.3d 62, 68-69.
Accordingly, the motion for summary judgment is granted, and The
Lathan Company’s remaining claims against defendant, Jacobs
Project Management Co./CSRS Consortium, are dismissed.

PMc
TPS
BDE

OROURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT
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DEPUTY CLERK OF COURT
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