Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government v. Bendel Partnership(a Partnership Commendam)

STATE OF LOUISIANA
COURT OF APPEAL, THIRD CIRCUIT

22-406
consolidated with 22-432 and 22-521

LAFAYETTE CITY-PARISH
CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT

VERSUS

BENDEL PARTNERSHIP (A PARTNERSHIP
IN COMMENDAM), CIRCLE "A" FARM, INC.,
STACY ALBERT FARM, INC., AND
SOUTHERN ACRES, LLC

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APPEAL FROM THE
FIFTEENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT
PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, NUMBER C-2021-6273 “B”
HONORABLE VALERIE GOTCH GARRETT, DISTRICT JUDGE

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SHARON DARVILLE WILSON
JUDGE

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Court composed of Sylvia R. Cooks, Chief Judge, Billy Howard Ezell, and Sharon
Darville Wilson, Judges.

JUDGMENT VACATED; ORIGINAL JUDGMENT
REINSTATED AND AFFIRMED AS AMENDED;
AND REMANDED.

Pride Justin Doran
Raven C. Boxie
DORAN & CAWTHORNE, PLCC
521 East Landry Street
Opelousas, Louisiana 70570
(337) 948-8008
Counsel for Defendant/Appellee/Cross-Appellant:
Bendel Partnership, A Partnership in Commendam

Sarah Harbison
PELICAN INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC POLICY
400 Poydras Street, Suite 900
New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
(504) 952-8016
Counsel for Amicus Curiae:
Institute for Justice

Christen Hebert
INSTITUTE FOR JUSTICE
816 Congress Avenue, Suite 960
Austin, Texas 78701
(512) 480-3936
Counsel for Amicus Curiae:
Institute for Justice

Michael D. Hebert
BECKER & HEBERT, LLC
201 Rue Beauregard
Lafayette, Louisiana 70508
(337) 233-1987
Counsel for Plaintiff/Appellant/Cross-Appellee:
Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government

Gregory J. Logan
Lafayette City-Parish Attorney
THE LOGAN LAW FIRM
700 Jefferson Street
Lafayette, Louisiana 70505
(337) 406-9685
Counsel for Plaintiff/Appellant/Cross-Appellee:
Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government

Camille Bienvenu Poche’
Karen T. Bordelon
BABINEAUX, POCHÉ, ANTHONY & SLAVICH, LLC
Post Office Box 52169
Lafayette, Louisiana 70505-2169
(337) 984-2505
Counsel for Plaintiff/Appellant/Cross-Appellee: Lafayette City-Parish
Consolidated Government

Randall A. Smith
L. Tiffany Hawkins
SMITH & FAWER, LLC
201 St. Charles Avenue, Suite 3702
New Orleans, Louisiana 70170
(504) 525-2200
Counsel for Defendant/Appellee/Cross-Appellant:
Bendel Partnership (A Partnership in Commendam)

Omar J. Thibeaux
THE THIBEAUX FIRM
400 E. Kaliste Saloom Road, Suite 3200
Lafayette, Louisiana 70508
(337) 453-4663
Counsel for Plaintiff/Appellant/Cross-Appellee:
Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government

WILSON, Judge.

In this expropriation proceeding, both the landowner and the Lafayette City-

Parish Consolidated Government (LCG) appeal multiple rulings from the trial court,

which dismissed the expropriation petition, reserved the landowner’s claims for

attorney’s fees and damages, and omitted an award of costs to the landowner, Bendel

Partnership, A Partnership in Commendam (Bendel). LCG also filed a writ

application, which was granted for the limited purpose of ordering the consolidation

of the writ application with LCG’s pending appeal. Lafayette City-Par. Consol.

Gov’t v. Bendel P’ship, 22-406 (La.App. 3 Cir. 7/25/22) (unpublished writ decision).

For the reasons expressed in Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government v.

Bendel Partnership, 22-432 (La.App. 3 Cir. ___/___/22), ___ So.3d ___, we find no

manifest error in the trial court’s granting the motion to dismiss. However, we

vacate the trial court’s May 26, 2022 judgment and reinstate the May 4, 2022

judgment and amend it to include the following language: “Bendel Partnership’s

rights regarding any claims for attorney’s fees and/or damages are hereby reserved.”

The matter is remanded for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. The

Lafayette City-Parish Government is cast with all costs of this appeal.

JUDGMENT VACATED; ORIGINAL JUDGMENT REINSTATED
AND AFFIRMED AS AMENDED; AND REMANDED.