Opinion ID: 1125377
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Sources of this Court's Inherent Authority

Text: Governmental power in Louisiana is shared by three separate branches of government, as Article II, § 1 of the 1974 Louisiana Constitution provides: The powers of government of the state are divided into three separate branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The constitutionally mandated separation of governmental power places limitations on the authority of each branch as respects the power of the others. In this regard, Article II, § 2 of the 1974 Louisiana Constitution states: Except as otherwise provided by this constitution, no one of these branches, nor any person holding office in one of them, shall exercise power belonging to either of the others. The Supreme Court of Louisiana is the head of the judicial branch of state government, and the Chief Justice is the chief administrative officer of Louisiana's judicial system, subject to rules adopted by this Court. 1974 La. Const., Art. V, §§ 1, 3, 5 and 6. This trichotomous branching of authority furnishes the basis for the existence of an inherent judicial power which the legislative and executive branches cannot abridge. Twenty-First Judicial District Court v. State, 548 So.2d 1208, 1209 (La.1989); Konrad v. Jefferson Parish Council, 520 So.2d 393, 397 (La.1988); Singer, Hutner, Levine, Seeman, & Stuart v. LSBA, 378 So.2d 423, 426 (La.1979). Since the Supreme Court is the head of Louisiana's judicial system, it is the final arbiter of the exercise of inherent judicial power. Twenty-First Judicial District Court v. State, 548 So.2d at 1209. Inherent power confers upon courts the authority to do all things reasonably necessary for the exercise of their functions as courts. In re Bar Exam Class Action, 99-2880 (La.2/18/2000), 752 So.2d 159, 160; Konrad, 520 So.2d at 397. The judiciary's inherent power is a necessary concomitant to the judicial power, but pertains to the administration of the business of the courts. In Re Bar Exam Class Action, 752 So.2d at 160; Konrad, 520 So.2d at 397. The inherent powers doctrine exists because it is essential to the survival of the judiciary as an independent branch of government. Konrad, 520 So.2d at 397. (borrowing citation omitted). This Court has exclusive and plenary power to define and regulate all facets of the practice of law, including the admission of attorneys to the Bar. In Re Bar Exam Class Action, 752 So.2d at 160; Succession of Wallace, 574 So.2d 348, 350 (La.1991); Ex Parte Steckler, 179 La. 410, 154 So. 41 (1934). [1] The sources of this power are this court's inherent judicial power emanating from the constitutional separation of powers ... the traditional inherent and essential function of attorneys as officers of the courts ... and this court's exclusive original jurisdiction of attorney disciplinary proceedings. Wallace, 574 So.2d at 350. (borrowing citations omitted). In Ex parte Steckler, 179 La. 410, 154 So. 41 (1934), we were called upon to decide the right of two university graduates to practice law without having to pass the bar examination required by 1924 La. Acts 113 and rules of this Court. We ultimately held the graduates could not be licensed to practice without passing the Bar Examination. We noted: The power to prescribe ultimately the qualifications for admission to the bar belongs to the judicial department of the government of the state. And each of the three departments of the state government is forbidden to exercise any power properly belonging to either of the others.    The inherent power of the Supreme Court to admit or disbar attorneys at law may be aided and regulated by statute, but it cannot be thereby frustrated or destroyed. Id., 154 So. at 44-45 (borrowing citation omitted). The plenary nature of this Court's authority operates as a check on the Legislature's authority. Accordingly, the Legislature cannot enact laws defining or regulating the practice of law in any aspect without this court's approval or acquiescence because that power properly belongs to this court and is reserved for it by the constitutional separation of powers. Wallace, 574 So.2d at 350; 1974 La. Const., Art. II. The inherent judicial power may be aided by the legislative and executive branches, but their acts or failure to act cannot destroy, frustrate, or impede the court's inherent constitutional authority. State in Interest of Johnson, 475 So.2d 340, 342 (La.1985); Singer, Hutner, Levine, Seeman, & Stuart v. LSBA, 378 So.2d 423, 426 (La.1979); Ex Parte Steckler, 154 So. at 45.