Case ID: so2d_400/html/0665-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "DENNIS, Justice.", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

STATE of Louisiana v. Joseph G. MADERE. Joseph G. MADERE v. STATE of Louisiana, et al.
    No. 81-C-0665.
    Supreme Court of Louisiana.
    June 22, 1981.
    Daniel E. Becnel, Jr., Reserve, for plaintiff-appellee.
    William J. Guste, Jr., Atty. Gen., Harry H. Howard, Asst. Atty. Gen., Howard P. Elliott, Jr., General Counsel, Baton Rouge, Robert E. Winn, of Sessions, Fishman, Ro-senson, Boisfontaine & Nathan, New Orleans, for defendants-appellants.
   DENNIS, Justice.

This is an appeal by the state from a district court judgment declaring uncohsti-tutional La.R.S. 15:31 insofar as it subjects gambling devices to immediate confiscation and destruction even when they are not used for gambling. The judgment is reversed. A gambling device, as defined by La.R.S. 15:31(B), constitutes contraband. Accordingly, a statute requiring its confiscation and immediate destruction does not violate due process or property rights under either the state or federal constitution. Brown v. State, etc., 392 So.2d 415 (La.1980).

REVERSED.

WATSON and LEMMON, JJ., dissent.