Court Opinion

ID: 9410783
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-07-24 16:06:04.542646+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:21:00.390733
License: Public Domain

STATE OF LOUISIANA

            COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT

ERIN    JACKSON             CARTER                                                            NO.      2023       CW    0161

VERSUS

LOUIS       CARTER,              III                                                             JULY       24,        2023

In    Re:             Erin        Jackson            Carter,         applying           for     supervisory             writs,

                      21st        Judicial            District             Court,        Parish       of     Tangipahoa,

                      No.     20220001699.

BEFORE:               MCCLENDON,               HOLDRIDGE,           AND     GREENE,       JJ.

        REFERRAL                  TO        APPEAL        PANEL          RECALLED;            STAY      DENIED;           WRIT
GRANTED.                     A     trial          court
                                                               may       order      a    petitioner             who      seeks

protection             from        abuse          under     the       Domestic          Abuse    Assistance             Act    to

pay    court          costs        and       attorneys'             fees    if   the      trial      court        finds       the
petition          frivolous.                   La.     R. S.        46: 2136. 1( B).            Prior      to     assessing
the    court           costs           against        the      petitioner           in    this       case,        the    trial

court did not make an explicit finding of frivolity and there is
no evidence of record demonstrating the petition was frivolous.
Accordingly,                 the       trial         court      abused        its       discretion           in    ordering
plaintiff             to     pay         the      costs      of      the    proceeding.               See       Lassair        on

Behalf           of         T. P. J.         V.      Paul,           2022- 0320 (         La.        App.         4th     Cir.

12/ 14/ 20),           353        So. 3d       1048.           We    hereby      reverse         the    trial          court'   s

October          27,        2022         order        assessing            all   costs          of   this         matter       to

Erin    Jackson             Carter.

                                                                    Me
                                                                    HG

        Holdridge,                 J.,      concurs.

COURT       OF    APPEAL,              FIRST      CIRCUIT

                 T&    CLERK           OF    COURT
                 FOR       THE     COURT