On March 30, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana celebrated Women’s History Month by hosting a panel discussion focused on women in law enforcement. Welcome remarks were provided by Clerk of Court, Carol Michel, and Clerk’s Office D,E,&I Committee Chair, Dena White. A panel discussion followed between the following female law enforcement leaders: Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson, Special Agent in Charge Leslie Pichon (New Orleans Field Office), and NOPD Superintendent Michelle Woodfork. Tracey Knight, Chief of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office (EDLA), moderated the discussion. Topics covered included the panelists’ career paths, how their offices are working to remove obstacles to female entry and promotion, the importance of female leadership, and advice to women wanting to enter leadership roles. The discussion concluded with a Q&A session.
You are here
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 10, 2023
On March 2, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana held a naturalization ceremony to effectuate the U.S. citizenship of 28 petitioners from around the world. The Honorable Jay C. Zainey, U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana, presided over the ceremony. The Daughters of the American Revolution led participants, including petitioners, their family and friends, and court staff, in the Pledge of Allegiance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman certified the petitioners’ eligibility for naturalization and announced their names. And Judge Zainey administered the Oath of Allegiance. In taking the Oath, petitioners swore to support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States against all enemies, and declared true faith and allegiance to the same. After the Oath administration, Judge Zainey gave keynote remarks, encouraging the newly-sworn citizens to participate fully in the civic life of their new home-country. The new citizens were then invited to register to vote at a table staffed by the New Orleans Chapter of the League of Women Voters. Photos from the ceremony may be viewed here.
March 27, 2023
Public notice is hereby given of proposed amendments to the Local Rules of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana (as shown in the below PDF). Comments may be made in writing via email to Clerk@laed.uscourts.gov or addressed to Clerk of Court, U.S. District Court, EDLA, 500 Poydras St., Room C-151, New Orleans, LA 70130 before May 1, 2023. Comments received will be made public and posted on the court’s website with the author’s name.
View this PDF
March 20, 2023
THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA HAS ISSUED REQUEST FOR QUOTE LAEDCLERK23-0002 FOR THE REUPHOLSTERY OF APPROXIMATELY 100 CHAIRS.
VENDORS INTERESTED IN SUBMITTING A QUOTE MAY REQUEST A COPY OF THE SOLICITATION FROM LAEDML_PROCUREMENT@LAED.USCOURTS.GOV.
THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT AN OFFER IS
12:00 P.M. CDT ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 2023.
PLEASE CONTACT JEFFREY GANUCHEAU AT (504) 589-3322 WITH ANY QUESTIONS.
March 8, 2023
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana presents a Women’s History Month Celebration entitled, “Women in Law Enforcement,” Thursday, March 30, 12:00-1:00 pm, in Courtroom 501 (Senior Judge Lemelle’s courtroom) and by Zoom Webinar, no charge, 1-hour CLE credit, lunch provided to in-person attendees. Please register by emailing LAED_RSVP@laed.uscourts.gov.
Please see the Eastern District of Louisiana website, www.laed.uscourts.gov, for additional information and updates.
February 28, 2023
On February 23, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana celebrated African American History Month with a panel discussion entitled, “A Dream Deferred?: The Civil Rights Movement, Its Success, Its Failures, and the Current State of the Movement.” The Honorable Nannette Jolivette Brown, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, served as moderator of the panel. The Honorable Bernette Joshua Johnson, retired Chief Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court; Kim Boyle, Vice-Managing Partner of Phelps Dunbar’s New Orleans office; Cashauna Hill, Executive Director of the Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center; Alanah Odoms, Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana; and Will Snowden, Director of the Vera Institute’s New Orleans office and Founder of The Juror Project served as panelists. The program was planned with the help of the Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Legal Society, New Orleans Bar Association, New Orleans Federal Bar Association, Louisiana State Bar Association, U.S. Attorney’s Office (EDLA), Federal Public Defender’s Office (EDLA), and U.S. Probation Office (EDLA). To watch a recording of the panel discussion, please select this link.
February 13, 2023
On January 5, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana held a naturalization ceremony in which 23 petitioners became new United States citizens. The Honorable Lance M. Africk, U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana, presided over the ceremony. Lilian Pascone, Chief Deputy Clerk for the Eastern District of Louisiana, served as keynote speaker. Ms. Pascone spoke of her own family’s immigration story, and she applauded the petitioners for the sacrifices they made to obtain citizenship. Sandra Gutierrez, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana, certified the petitioners’ eligibility for citizenship and announced their names. Petitioners then took the Oath of Allegiance to the United States and received Certificates of Naturalization. Afterwards, petitioner were invited to take advantage of their new-found citizenship by registering to vote at a table staffed by volunteers from the New Orleans League of Women Voters. To view photographs from the ceremony, please select this link.
January 30, 2023
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana presents an African American History Month Celebration entitled, “A Dream Deferred?,” Thursday, February 23, 12:00-2:00 pm, in Courtroom 501 and by Zoom Webinar, no charge, 2-hour CLE credit, lunch provided to in-person attendees. Please register by emailing LAED_RSVP@laed.uscourts.gov.
Please see the Eastern District of Louisiana website, www.laed.uscourts.gov, for additional information and updates.
January 26, 2023
On February 2, 2023, the Honorable Mary Ann Vial Lemmon, U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana, and the Honorable Karen Wells Roby, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana, will be honored by the American Bar Association’s National Conference of Federal Trial Judges. The Honorable Martin L.C. Feldman, former U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana, will be posthumously honored at the event. The event will include a recognition ceremony in the ceremonial courtroom of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana from 5:00-6:00 pm, which will be followed by a reception at The Great Hall of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
January 17, 2023
Magistrate Judge Janis van Meerveld of the Eastern District of Louisiana has been appointed as the Magistrate Judge representative from the Fifth Circuit to the Magistrate Judges Advisory Group to the Administrative Office of the United States Courts. Her term of service is through December, 2025.
The Magistrate Judges Advisory Group meets at least twice yearly and provides assistance to the Director of the Administrative Office and the Judicial Services Office in supporting the Judicial Conference of the United States Courts.