Court Opinion

ID: 9941628
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-02-16 17:06:36.882049+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:46:53.070522
License: Public Domain

STATE OF LOUISIANA

            COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT

KELVIN      WELLS                                                                               NO.         2023     CW      1179

VERSUS

DEPARTMENT             OF   CHILDREN               AND
FAMILY       SERVICES,                 THE     19TH
JUDICIAL          DISTRICT                  FAMILY                                           FEBRUARY             16,       2024
COURT,       DIVISION              OF
ADMINISTRATIVE                LAW

In    Re:         Kelvin                Wells,        applying  for  supervisory writs, Family
                  Court                in    and     for the  Parish of East Baton Rouge, No.

                   181016.

BEFORE:           WELCH,               WOLFE,        AND    STROMBERG,            JJ.

        WRIT       DENIED.                    Pursuant       to    La.        R. S.       46: 236. 15 ( D) (         1) (   a) ,        if
relator          seeks        review               of     seizure        of      property            by     the      Louisiana

Department             of    Children               and    Family        Services ("            DCFS"), "          the agency
shall       either           release                the     property             or      schedule           a     hearing  in
accordance             with            the     Administrative                 Procedure             Act."           Under           the
Administrative                   Procedure               Act, "    a     person           who       is     aggrieved               by    a

final        decision                   or     order        in     an         adjudication                 proceeding                   is
entitled          to    judicial               review..." La.            R. S.        49 : 978. 1 ( A) ( 1) .           Further,

     p] roceedings for review may be instituted by filing                                                          a petition
in     the  district  court  of the parish   in which  the                                                         agency               is
located..."        La.        R. S.            49: 978. 1( B);           State          in     Interest           of        Caston,

2020- 0768 (           La.             App.        1st     Cir.     2/   19/ 21),             321        So. 3d    419,            writ

denied,           2021-- 00425 (                   La.     5/ 11/ 21),            315         So - 3d       872 ("                 When

reviewing          an       administrative                   final        decision,             the        district           court

functions          as       an         appellate           court,"        and "[         o]   nce     a    final        judgment
is  rendered by the district court, an aggrieved party may seek
review by appeal to the appropriate appellate court.").   Thus,
relator          should       seek            review       first    with         the     district           court.

                                                                  JEW
                                                                  EW

                                                                  TPS

COURT       OF   APPEAL,                FIRST      CIRCUIT

                                 1.-

       D
                       J -C ,
                       CLERK            OF    COURT
                 FOR    THE            COURT