Case Name: DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES v. Edward A. BARNES
Court: Louisiana Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1981-06-29
Citations: 402 So. 2d 202
Docket Number: No. 14260
Parties: DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES v. Edward A. BARNES.
Judges: Before LOTTINGER, EDWARDS and PONDER, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 402
Pages: 202–203

Head Matter:
DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES v. Edward A. BARNES.
No. 14260.
Court of Appeal of Louisiana, First Circuit.
June 29, 1981.
Peter E. Duffy, Staff Atty., Dept, of Wildlife and Fisheries, Metairie, for appellant.
Lawrence K. McCollum, Shreveport, for appellee.
Laura Denson Holmes, Civil Service Legal Counsel, Dept, of State Civil Service, Baton Rouge, for George Hamner, Director of the Dept, of State Civil Service.
Before LOTTINGER, EDWARDS and PONDER, JJ.

Opinion:
EDWARDS, Judge.
This case is an appeal by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries from a decision of the Louisiana State Civil Service Commission modifying the disciplinary sanction the Department had assessed against one of its employees, Edward A. Barnes, appellee herein. By letter dated August 1, 1978, appellant demoted appellee from Wildlife Agent II to Wildlife Agent I and suspended him without pay for a period of thirty days. The reasons given in the letter for the demotion and suspension were that appellee had issued sixteen fraudulent Louisiana Wildlife Commission violation citations between May 25, 1973, and December 19, 1975; and that he had failed to report to a proper authority that his supervisor had directed him not to file charges with the District Attorney's office against two particular persons, whom he had previously cited for violation. After hearing, the Civil Service Commission issued an opinion upholding appellee's suspension, reversing the demotion, and ordering appellee reinstated to Wildlife Agent II with full back pay, except for the amount he would have earned during his suspension.
A careful review of the entire record convinces us that, based on the facts elicited, the Civil Service Commission's decision was not manifestly erroneous.
For the foregoing reasons, the decision appealed from is affirmed. All costs, both before the Civil Service Commission and on appeal, are to be paid by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
AFFIRMED.