On April 14, 2026, the Eastern District of Louisiana judges welcomed judge Anna St. John as our newest colleague on the bench. Judge St. John proudly has purple and gold in her blood, having graduated from LSU. She then went on to obtain her Masters degree from Columbia Graduate School and her Law degree from Columbia Law School. After law school, Judge St. John clerked for the Honorable Rhesa Barksdale of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. She previously worked at Covington & Burling in Washington, DC and served as president and general counsel of the Hamilton Lincoln Law Institute. The oath of office was administered by Judge Barksdale, who was joined by his wife, Claire, and Judge St. John was joined by her husband, Scott. We were also delighted to have the newest “junior” members of the bench, Judge St. John’s children, Charles, Elizabeth, Anna Douglas, and Jack, join in the celebration. Welcome Judge St. John.
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News & Announcements
Check this page, or the News and Announcements box on the homepage, for the latest official news and announcements released by the court. You can also access archived news and announcements from this page.
April 24, 2026
THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT, EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA, HAS ISSUED REQUEST FOR QUOTE NUMBER LAEDCLERK26-0003 FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF APC REPLACEMENT BATTERY CARTRIDGES #143 & #152 (or EQUIVALENT).
VENDORS INTERESTED IN SUBMITTING A PROPOSAL MAY OBTAIN A COPY OF THE REQUEST FROM THE SHARED ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES OFFICE LOCATED AT 500 POYDRAS STREET, ROOM B-208, NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA. ELECTRONIC COPIES MAY BE OBTAINED BY EMAILING:
LAEDML_PROCUREMENT@LAED.USCOURTS.GOV
THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING AN OFFER IS 10:00 A.M. CDT ON FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2026. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT HAMILTON DUBOIS AT (504) 589-7675.
View this PDF
April 7, 2026
To celebrate Women’s History Month, nearly two hundred attendees gathered at the Eastern District Courthouse on March 11, 2026, with even more on Zoom, to learn about the legal rights afforded to women from the time of the Declaration of Independence through the modern day. The esteemed panelists were Loyola Law Dean Madeline Landrieu, LSU Law Dean Caprice Roberts, Tulane Law Dean Marcilynn Burke, Tulane Law Professor Saru Matambanadzo, and Loyola Law Professor Courtney Turkington. Discussions included the status of women’s rights in 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was written, the evolution of employment laws, the treatment of women’s property rights, the voting and political activity of women, and centuries of reproductive regulations. The presentations concluded with a group discussion led by Chloé Chetta.
March 9, 2026
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana held a naturalization ceremony in which 50 petitioners became United States citizens. The Honorable Lance M. Africk, U.S. District Judge, presided over the March 3 ceremony. He welcomed and invited everyone to stand for the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance, led by representatives from the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Judge Africk then introduced the keynote speaker, recently appointed United States Attorney David Courcelle. He spoke of how he was born in Japan, his mother’s native country, on a U.S. Naval Base where his father was stationed. Courcelle recalled his mother’s own naturalization journey, and her tireless studies to learn U.S. civics and memorize the Pledge of Allegiance. She eventually did become a U.S. citizen and was naturalized in the very courthouse where he now tries cases as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Judge Africk then invited Assistant U.S. Attorney Renee Goudeau to issue the statement of petitioners’ eligibility for citizenship and present petitioners’ requests for name change. AUSA Goudeau then announced the names of the 50 new citizens. After granting the requests for name change, Judge Africk asked Deputy Clerk Bridget Gregory to administer the Oath of Allegiance. Judge Africk then concluded the ceremony by speaking of his own ancestors’ journeys to becoming American citizens and the pride he feels for them now that he serves as a U.S. District Judge. The new citizens then received their certificates and took photos with their families. To view photos from the ceremony, please select this link.
February 3, 2026
** LAST DAY TO REGISTER: Tue., Feb. 24
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana will host a CLE presented by the Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Legal Society in celebration of African American History Month. The panel-discussion CLE is entitled “Louisiana’s Post-Voting Rights Act Advancements and Ongoing Struggles.” The program will be Friday, Feb. 27 from noon to 1 p.m. in Room 501 of the courthouse.
There is no cost, and lunch will be provided. However, advance registration is required at https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/kku7hms. The CLE is in-person only.
The New Orleans Bar Association, the New Orleans Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, and the New Orleans Chapter of the Association for Women Attorneys are co-sponsoring the event.
January 26, 2026
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana presents a Women's History Month Celebration and CLE on Wednesday, March 11, 3-5 p.m., in Courtroom 501 and via Zoom.
There is no charge for this 2-hour CLE with reception to follow, but advance registration is required via the QR code above.
January 14, 2026
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana held a naturalization ceremony in which 24 petitioners became United States citizens. The Honorable Susie Morgan, U.S. District Judge, presided over the January 8 ceremony. She welcomed and invited everyone to stand for the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance, led by representatives from the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Judge Morgan then addressed the petitioners. She recognized the national contributions of famous immigrants such as Alexander Hamilton and Joseph Pulitzer, as well as local icons, such as James Gallier, who designed the iconic Gallier Hall which sits adjacent to the courthouse. She encouraged the new citizens to vote in elections at every level to take advantage of their new rights.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mimi Nguyen then issued the statement of petitioners’ eligibility for citizenship and presented petitioners’ requests for name change. After granting the requests for name change, Judge Morgan administered the Oath of Allegiance, handed out certificates, and took pictures with our country’s newest citizens. To view photos from the ceremony, please select this link.
January 6, 2026
On Monday, December 22, 2025, Judge William J. Crain took the oath of office as the newest United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana. The oath was administered by his friend and colleague, Judge Greg Guidry. A formal investiture ceremony will take place later. Judge Crain brings a wealth of experience to the bench as a former judge with the 22nd Judicial District Court for St. Tammany and Washington Parishes, the Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeal, and a former Associate Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court. The Eastern District of Louisiana court extends a warm welcome to Judge Crain and looks forward to his continued service in the judiciary in his new role.
November 25, 2025
The national PACER Service Center announced that users with CM/ECF-level access (e.g., filers, interested parties, etc.) can now reset their own password when their account search status becomes inactive due to search inactivity. As of October 16, such users no longer need to contact the PACER Service Center (PSC) .
Users with CM/ECF-level filing access can still file even if their search status shows as “inactive” due to six months of inactivity.
Many common questions are answered on the PACER website on the MFA Tips and Resources page. Please visit this page before contacting the PSC, as most issues can be handled by following the steps outlined on the website.
When to contact the PSC
Users whose accounts have been deactivated will still need to contact the PSC to reactivate their PACER search status.
When not to contact the PSC
Users who do not receive an MFA-enrollment prompt when logging into PACER should take no action.
Users who receive an MFA-enrollment prompt can enroll by following the steps outlined on the MFA Tips and Resources page. Support from the PSC is not required for enrollment.
The PACER Service Center appreciates users’ patience as it works to reduce call wait times and strengthen account security. Contacting the PSC only when necessary will help ensure support is available for those who have an urgent need.
October 22, 2025
Pre-Lapse in Appropriations Notice to Contractors
Payments to contractors and vendors of the judiciary will be delayed during a lapse in appropriations.
Clause 7-123 Performance and Obligation in Advance of Funds (Class Deviation)
The Judiciary has the authority to enter into or continue this contractual action and to obligate the government in advance of appropriations. However, appropriated funds are not currently available to make payments under this contract to liquidate this obligation. The contractor is authorized to perform under this contract, as specified. When the appropriated funds become available, the government will make payment in accordance with the terms of this contract. This clause supersedes conflicting terms of any other clauses in this contract dealing with contract payment or financing until funds are made available.
Should you have any questions, please contact the Procurement Unit (laedml_Procurement@laed.uscourts.gov).