# Michael M. Sellar v. Donald "Don" Nance

> Louisiana Court of Appeal · March 1, 2022

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/11047787

## Case

- **Court:** Louisiana Court of Appeal
- **Decided:** March 1, 2022
- **Precedential status:** Published
- **Opinion:** Opinion by Cox
- **Judges:** MOORE; STONE; COX
- **Cited by:** 0 later opinions in the Frix Law Library

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## Opinion text

Judgment rendered March 1, 2022

No. 54,617-CA

COURT OF APPEAL
SECOND CIRCUIT
STATE OF LOUISIANA

*****

MICHAEL M. SELLAR Plaintiff-Appellee

versus

DONALD “DON” NANCE, ET AL. Defendants-Appellants

*****

Appealed from the
Fourth Judicial District Court for the
Parish of Ouachita, Louisiana
Trial Court No. 2022-0302

Honorable Alvin R Sharp, Judge

*****

PELICAN LAW, LLC Counsel for Appellant,
By: Jacob D. Rennick Donald “Don” Nance

NEWMAN, OLIVEAUX & MAGEE, LLP Counsel for Appellee,
By: Todd G. Newman Michael M. Sellar

*****

Before MOORE, STONE, and COX, JJ.
COX, J.

This suit involves the disqualification of a candidate for the seat of

Mayor of the City of West Monroe on grounds that the candidate was not a

qualified elector and did not meet the residency requirement for the office.

Appellant, Donald “Don” Nance (“Nance”), appeals the ruling of the trial

court disqualifying his candidacy in the March 26, 2022, election. Appellee,

Michael M. Sellar (“Sellar”), has answered the appeal, seeking frivolous

appeal damages. For the following reasons, we affirm the trial court’s

judgment and deny the Appellee’s request for frivolous appeal damages.

FACTS

On January 26, 2022, Nance filed a notice of candidacy for Mayor of

the City of West Monroe in which he listed his address as 2510 North 10th

Street, within the City of West Monroe in Precinct 37. It is undisputed that

at the time of his qualification, Nance was also registered to vote at the

North 10th Street residence, while maintaining his homestead exemption at a

second residence he owned on 103 Love Street, in the unincorporated area of

Ouachita Parish and outside of the city limits of the City of West Monroe in

Precinct 32.

On January 31, 2022, in accordance with La. R.S. 14:1401, Sellar, a

qualified voter, filed a petition to object to the candidacy of Nance. Sellar

alleged that Nance was not a qualified elector of the City of West Monroe

and had not been a resident of the city for one year prior to his qualification.

The basis of Sellar’s first claim related to the two residences that Nance

owned. Sellar argued that statutory law mandated registered voters to vote

only in the precinct where a homestead exemption was claimed, and that in

his notice of candidacy Nance falsely swore under oath that he was
registered to vote in the precinct where he claimed a homestead exemption.

Sellar also alleged that Nance had never previously voted in an election in

the City of West Monroe. For these reasons, Sellar argued that Nance was

not a qualified elector in the City of West Monroe. Sellar also argued that

Nance and his wife actually resided at the Love Street address since 2011

and purchased the North 10th Street residence in August 2020, but did not

live there. Thus, Sellar challenged Nance’s residency in the City of West

Monroe at the time he qualified to run for mayor.

Nance answered the petition and asserted that he established his

residence at the North 10th Street location in late October or early

November 2020, when he moved into the home at that location with the

intent to remain there indefinitely. Nance also argued that his maintenance

of a homestead exemption on the Love Street residence was not a factor in

determining his qualification as a mayoral candidate or in proving actual

physical residence.

The matter was tried on February 5 and 6, 2022. Sellar presented the

testimony of seven witnesses, and introduced 29 exhibits into evidence. The

Ouachita Parish Registrar of Voters confirmed that Nance registered to vote

at the North 10th Street residence in Precinct 37 on July 21, 2021, and was

formerly registered at the Love Street residence in Precinct 32 since 2012.

Nance’s July 21, 2021, voter registration application, which was signed by

him, was admitted into evidence. Paragraph 3 of this form required the

applicant to list their residence address and clearly instructed that this

address “must be address where you claim homestead exemption.” The

Ouachita Parish Tax Assessor affirmed that Nance claimed his homestead

exemption on the Love Street residence in March 2011, and that it had not
2
changed. This property included a 2517 square-foot home. The Tax

Assessor also testified that Nance acquired the North 10th Street property on

August 11, 2020, but that all communications from the tax assessor’s office

to Nance were mailed to the Love Street address. This property included an

896 square-foot residence. The Director of Finance and City Clerk for the

City of West Monroe testified and identified the majority of exhibits

introduced into evidence by Sellar to support his claims. These exhibits

included documentation showing that in 2021, Nance utilized his Love

Street address on items such as his utilities customer account card, tax

documents from 2020 and 2021, 2020 and 2021 permit applications,

occupational license applications, garbage and sewer records, medical

insurance, a 2021 workers’ compensation claim, and utility billing.

Documentation also showed that Nance did not obtain garbage service for

the North 10th Street address until April 13, 2021, and then changed his

address for that service as well as his water service to the North 10th Street

address. Exhibits showed that Nance changed his utility account for the

North 10th Street address from Don Nance Properties (Nance’s rental

business) to Don Nance on July 19, 2021.

Sellar presented testimony and introduced evidence regarding water

usage at both the North 10th Street and Love Street residences. Sellar

introduced various graph depictions of daily and monthly water usage at the

North 10th Street residence from October 2020 through January 2022, which

reflected sporadic and inconsistent water usage at that location during 2021.

With the stipulation of Nance, Sellar introduced into evidence the Greater

Ouachita Water Company records of the Love Street address from June 2020

through the date of trial. These documents show consistent water usage at
3
the Love Street home. An employee of the West Monroe Code Enforcement

testified that in late October 2020, she noticed daily water usage at the North

10th Street property when no account had been activated and contacted

Nance about it. At that time, Nance told the witness that his son-in-law and

daughter were living at the North 10th Street property. The witness’s notes

regarding this event were introduced into evidence.

Dana Benson, the Ouachita Parish Clerk of Court, was called to testify

on behalf of Sellar. She identified a January 18, 2022, cash deed involving

Nance, who listed his home address as the Love Street address. Benson

identified a second cash sale deed of August 11, 2020, in which Nance listed

his address as the Love Street residence. Benson identified an “assumed

name certificate,” dated September 23, 2020, which also reflected the Love

Street residence as Nance’s address. These exhibits were introduced into

evidence.

Benson identified a blank candidacy form like the one Nance

approved to qualify for candidacy. Benson testified that a candidate fills out

the form and brings it to her office where “they do their attestation to the fact

that it’s true and correct.” On the record, Benson read item number 8 from

the form whereby a candidate attested to the fact that if a homestead

exemption was claimed on a residence, the candidate was “registered and

voted in the precinct in which the residence is located,” unless residing in a

nursing or veterans’ home. Benson testified that she personally saw Nance

sign a candidacy form and identified his name on the bottom of Nance’s

actual form. Benson did not ask Nance any questions about his homestead

exemption, but “printed the form out then we handed it to him to look at and

to verify that it was correct and then we did the attestation.” Benson stated
4
that Nance signed it, she notarized it, and “had two witnesses and handed

him back a copy.” Benson stated that Section 14 of the form stated that “all

the statements contained herein are true and correct.” Benson identified a

copy of a photograph of Nance “doing his attestation.” During that event,

Benson asked Nance to swear that the contents of the candidacy form were

true and correct to the best of his ability, knowledge, and belief. These

exhibits were also introduced into evidence.

Nance testified on his behalf, stating that he purchased the North 10th

Street property in August 2020 and moved into the house in late October or

early November 2020. He testified that he owned the Love Street residence

for 11 years and admitted that he “still” claimed his homestead exemption

on the Love Street house. Nance testified that he claimed North 10th Street

as his primary residence although he listed the Love Street location as one of

his residences. Nance explained that he did not have garbage service at the

North 10th Street address when he first obtained the property because he

carried the trash in his truck to a cigar business he owned nearby. With

regard to the lack of use of electricity at that location, Nance explained that

he spent “a lot of time at the cigar shop.” Nance stated that his wife,

daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren live with him at the North 10th

Street residence, even though it is much smaller than the Love Street

residence. Nance further explained that he did not change his drivers’

license to reflect the North 10th Street residence in July 2021, because he

was a very busy individual. Nance stated that “the lady at the driver’s

license” office asked him if he wanted to change his voter registration, and

he agreed to do so. Nance testified that he still got mail at the Love Street

5
address because he is there often and his two daughters live there. Nance

had a vintage vehicle he stored in the garage of the Love Street address.

Nance explained that he talked about his candidacy with the clerk of

court about a year prior to his qualifying. At that time, he had no

understanding “that the homestead exemption would be an issue.”

On cross-examination, Nance identified his qualification form and

admitted that he signed it. Nance read “number eight in that list,” on the

record. Nance testified that he believed the form said “homestead

exemption or a residence,” and again admitted that the North 10th Street

address was not where he claimed his homestead exemption. Nance

conceded that the photograph identified by Benson depicted his “swearing

in.” Nance admitted that on March 25, 2021, he was fired from his job with

the City of West Monroe, and “signed up for garbage” at the North 10th

Street address on April 13, 2021. Nance explained that he moved his

residence from the Love Street address to the North 10th Street address to be

closer to his cigar business. Nance opened an account for water service

there on November 23, 2020, under the name Don Nance Properties.

Nance also admitted that in April 2021, he changed the name on his

water account at the North 10th Street residence from Don Nance Properties

(his rental company) to Don Nance. Nance conceded that he did not change

his mailing address with the “City” from his Love Street address, the vehicle

he drove was registered at the Love Street address, and his municipal

retirement information was sent to the Love Street address.

Nance was questioned about sporadic and inconsistent water usage at

the North 10th Street residence during March-July 2021. He challenged the

6
accuracy of the water bills, pointing out discrepancies that showed gallons of

water used, but inconsistently reflected no water usage.

The trial court questioned Nance about his homestead exemption.

Nance once again admitted to the court that he claimed his homestead

exemption at the Love Street address.

After the presentation of evidence and testimony, the trial court

ordered “one shot briefs,” due and returnable on February 9, 2022. On

February 9, 2022, Nance filed a peremptory exception of no cause of action,

not at issue in this appeal, which the trial court denied on February 10, 2022.

It was not until February 19, 2022, that the trial court rendered judgment

disqualifying Nance as a candidate for the office of Mayor of West Monroe.

In its written reasons for judgment, issued on February 18, 2022, the trial

court determined that Nance did not possess the qualifications for the office

of mayor of West Monroe because he was not a qualified elector. The trial

court concluded that Nance “put forth a false/defective ‘Notice of Candidacy

Form,’” because he claimed a homestead exemption on property located

outside of the city limits (Precinct 32), but registered to vote using the

address of a home located within the city limits (Precinct 37). After

rejection of Nance’s testimony, the trial court found that Nance failed to

prove that he resided within the city limits of West Monroe for one year

prior to qualifying as a candidate for mayor.

Nance has appealed. This appeal was lodged with this Court on

February 24, 2022. 1 This matter has been resolved by this Court in strict

compliance with the time constraints set forth in La. R.S. 18:1409.

1
With his motion for appeal, Nance also filed a motion to dismiss the judgment
on grounds that the trial court failed to timely rule in this matter in direct violation of La.
7
LAW

Because election laws must be interpreted to give the electorate the

widest possible choice of candidates, a person objecting to candidacy bears

the burden of proving that the candidate is disqualified. Landiak v.

Richmond, 05-0758 (La. 3/24/05), 899 So. 2d 535; Russell v. Goldsby, 00-

2595 (La. 9/22/00), 780 So. 2d 1048. Once the party bearing the burden of

proof in an objection to candidacy case has established a prima facie case

that the candidate is disqualified, the burden shifts to the party opposing the

disqualification to rebut the showing. Sealy v. Brown, 53,541 (La. App. 2

Cir. 2/4/20), 291 So. 3d 290, writ denied, 20-00226 (La. 2/7/20), 292 So. 3d

60.

A court determining whether the person objecting to candidacy has

carried his burden of proof must liberally construe the laws governing the

conduct of elections so as to promote rather than defeat candidacy. Any

doubt concerning the qualifications of a candidate should be resolved in

favor of allowing the candidate to run for public office. Landiak v.

Richmond, supra.

Article III, Section 303 of the Charter of City of West Monroe

specifically provides for the qualification of mayor for that city as follows:

The mayor shall be a qualified elector of the city and shall hold
no other public office for which he shall be entitled to receive
any remuneration or per diem compensation, except that of
notary public or membership in the national guard or reserve
defense establishment. The mayor must be twenty-one (21)
years of age and shall have been a resident of the city for one
(1) year and a resident of Ouachita Parish for at least two (2)
years. The mayor shall not have been convicted of a felony.

R. S. 18:1409. The trial court denied this motion at the same time he granted Nance’s
appeal. We note that La. R.S. 18:1409(C) requires the trial court to “render judgment
within twenty-four hours after the case is submitted to him and shall indicate the date and
time rendered on the judgment.”

8
Any mayor, ceasing to possess these qualifications, or who is
convicted of a felony shall immediately become disqualified,
creating a vacancy in the office. 2

A candidate shall possess the qualifications for the office he seeks at

the time he qualified for that office. La. R.S. 18:451.

A candidate sets out his qualifications in the initial filing of notice of

candidacy under La. R.S. 18:461. Kelley v. Desmarteau, 50,552 (La. App. 2

Cir. 9/28/15), 184 So. 3d 55. The purpose of the notice of candidacy is to

provide sufficient information to show a candidate is qualified to run for the

office he seeks. Percle v. Taylor, 20-244 (La. App. 5 Cir. 8/5/20), 301 So.

3d 1219, writ denied, 20-00983 (La. 8/10/20), 300 So. 3d 878; Trosclair v.

Joseph, 14-675 (La. App. 5 Cir. 9/9/14), 150 So. 3d 315, writs not cons., 14-

1909 (La. 9/12/14), 148 So. 3d 572 and 14-1920 (La. 9/12/14), 148 So. 3d

937.

La. R.S. 18:463(A)(2) sets forth the requirements for a notice of

candidacy, in relevant part, as follows:

(2)(a) The notice of candidacy also shall include a certificate,
signed by the candidate, certifying all of the following:
....

(i) That he has read the notice of his candidacy.

(ii) That he meets the qualifications of the office for which he is
qualifying.
....

(viii) Except for a candidate for United States senator or
representative in congress or a candidate who resides in a
nursing home as defined in R.S. 40:2009.2 or in a veterans’
home operated by the state or federal government, that if he
claims a homestead exemption on a residence pursuant to
Article VII, Section 20 of the Constitution of Louisiana, he is

2
At trial, the parties stipulated to and admitted into the record the contents of this
provision.

9
registered and votes in the precinct in which that residence is
located.

(ix) That all of the statements contained in it are true and
correct.
Consistently, La. R.S. 18:101(B) provides regarding the homestead

exemption and voter registration, in relevant part, as follows:

For purposes of the laws governing voter registration and
voting, “resident” means a citizen who resides in this state and
in the parish, municipality, if any, and precinct in which he
offers to register and vote, with an intention to reside there
indefinitely. If a citizen resides at more than one place in the
state with an intention to reside there indefinitely, he may
register and vote only at one of the places at which he resides. If
a person claims a homestead exemption, pursuant to Article
VII, Section 20 of the Constitution of Louisiana, on one of the
residences, he shall register and vote in the precinct in which
that residence is located, except that a person who resides in a
nursing home as defined in R.S. 40:2009.2 or in a veterans’
home operated by the state or federal government may register
and vote at the address where the nursing home or veterans’
home is located.
An action objecting to the candidacy of a person who qualified as a

candidate in a primary election shall be based on specific grounds which

may include that the defendant does not meet the qualifications for the office

he seeks in the primary election under La. R.S. 18:492.

La. R.S. 18:492(A) states, in relevant part:

A. An action objecting to the candidacy of a person who
qualified as a candidate in a primary election shall be based on
one or more of the following grounds:

(1) The defendant failed to qualify for the primary election in
the manner prescribed by law.
....

(3) The defendant does not meet the qualifications for the office
he seeks in the primary election.
In Percle v. Taylor, supra, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal held that

the filing of a false certification in a notice of candidacy with respect to the

homestead exemption relates to the failure to qualify in the manner
10
prescribed by law in La. R.S. 18:492(A)(1), because the “manner for

qualifying” includes “the filing of an accurate notice of candidacy under

oath, accompanied by the qualifying fee.” The court found that because the

candidate’s certification by affidavit constitutes substantive and/or material

information, any inaccuracies or falsities made by the candidate regarding

this information is grounds for disqualification under La. R.S. 18:492(A)(1),

because “what is at stake is no less than the integrity of the process of

qualifying for public office.” Id. In Trosclair v. Joseph, supra, the Fifth

Circuit held that the notice of candidacy must be free from errors when

considering the issue of whether a candidate could be disqualified for

inaccuracies in her party affiliation, even when the candidate attempted to

remedy the issues after the suit to disqualify was filed.3 See also, Senegal v.

Obafunwa, 99-1449 (La. App. 3 Cir. 9/27/99), 745 So. 2d 74; Madden v.

Edwards, 436 So. 2d 759 (La. App. 1 Cir. 1983), writ denied, 437 So. 2d

287 (La. 1983).

When the qualifications for an office include a residency or domicile

requirement, a candidate shall meet the established length of residency or

domicile. La. R.S. 1:3; Landiak v. Richmond, supra; State v. Wilson, 53,262

(La. App. 2 Cir. 8/27/19), 278 So. 3d 1081, writ not cons., 19-01396 (La.

8/30/19), 277 So. 3d 1185, recon. denied, 19-01396 (La. 8/31/19), 277 So.

3d 1186.

3
However, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal has held that “falsely swearing to
anything other than those specific provisions enumerated in [La. R.S. 18:492] is not a
basis for disqualification.” Kiefer v. Lombard, 21-0453 (La. App. 4 Cir. 7/30/21), writ
denied, 21-01125 (La. 8/6/21), 322 So. 3d 784, in which Justice Crain voted to grant the
writ to resolve the conflict in the circuits concerning the proper interpretation of La. R.S.
18:492(A).

11
It has long been held that the terms “residence” and “domicile” are

legal terms that are not synonymous. Landiak v. Richmond, supra; State v.

Wilson, supra. A person can have two residences, but only one domicile.

La. C.C. art. 39. A person may maintain more than one residence and the

fact that one is maintained for political purposes does not itself prevent the

residence from being actual and bona fide. Intent to maintain a residence is

an important factor, but intent alone does not establish a bona fide residence.

There must be actual, physical use or occupation of quarters for living

purposes before residence is established. Sealy v. Brown, supra; McClendon

v. Bel, 00-2011 (La. App. 1 Cir. 9/7/00), 797 So. 2d 700; Walsh v. Rogillio,

00-1995 (La. App. 1 Cir. 9/7/00), 768 So. 2d 653, writ denied, 00-2610 (La.

9/12/00), 766 So. 2d 1288. Some of the types of documentary evidence

commonly considered by courts to determine domicile in fact include such

things as voter registration, homestead exemptions, vehicle registration

records, driver’s license address, statements in notarial acts, and evidence

that most of the person’s property is housed at that location. Sealy v. Brown,

supra. Water usage is also a valid consideration. Id. There is no minimal

duration period required for the establishment of such a residence. The

intent to establish a residence, coupled with physical actions denoting the

acquisition of a residence, is sufficient. Sealy v. Brown, supra; Walsh v.

Rogillio, supra; Butler v. Cantrell, 630 So. 2d 852 (La. App. 4 Cir.

1993), writ denied, 631 So. 2d 431 (La. 1994). Domicile and residency, for

purposes of an election contest, present issues of fact. The standard of

review of findings of fact by the trial court is the clearly wrong or manifest

error standard. Sealy v. Brown, supra.

12
DISCUSSION

On appeal, Nance first seeks dismissal of the judgment at issue based

upon the trial court’s failure to render judgment within 24 hours after the

case was submitted, in accordance with La. R.S. 18:1409. Nance summarily

argues that he “should be permitted to run for mayoral office.” Nance

contends that the trial court erred in concluding that he was not a qualified

elector on the day he qualified for candidacy and in finding that he did not

meet the residency requirement.4

We find Nance’s request for dismissal of the trial court’s ruling to

have no merit. Recently, in addressing a similar complaint by the appellant

in Sealy v. Brown, supra, this Court held that errors or failures of the trial

court causing delays in proceedings in an election suit are not attributable or

imputable to a plaintiff when the parties suffer no prejudice. Here, the

untimeliness of the ruling was solely caused by the trial court’s delay. Other

than the anticipation attendant to waiting for the trial court to rule, Nance

has suffered no prejudice by the delayed ruling as he is being afforded full

appellate review in this matter. We find that in these circumstances,

dismissal of the ruling is not warranted.

Regarding the issue of Nance’s status as a qualified elector, the record

before this Court indisputably establishes that Nance maintained his

homestead exemption on his Love Street residence at the time of qualifying.

La. R.S. 18:101 clearly mandates that an individual with more than one

residence is required to register to vote at the residence where the homestead

4
Notably, in his brief, Nance concedes that “out of an abundance of caution,” he
“changed his homestead exemption,” to his North 10th Street residence inside the city
limits of West Monroe on February 7, 2022.

13
exemption is claimed. It is also undisputed that in his January 26, 2022,

“Notice of Candidacy Form,” Nance attested to the fact that his North 10th

Street residence was where he claimed his homestead exemption.5 Nance’s

voter registration application also shows that he was aware of the homestead

exemption residence requirement. The trial court found the false

certification disqualified Nance from candidacy under La. R.S. 18:492.

Considering the integrity necessary to the process of qualifying for public

office, we agree with the Fifth Circuit’s reasoning and analysis in Percle v.

Taylor, supra. The manner of qualifying in La. R.S. 18:461 is by filing an

accurate notice of candidacy, under oath. We agree with our colleagues of

the Fifth Circuit that any information on the notice of candidacy required to

be given by oath is substantive and/or material information and that “any

inaccuracies, mistakes, or false statements” made under oath regarding this

information are grounds for disqualification under La. R.S. 18:492(A), as a

failure to qualify in the manner prescribed by law.

After full review of the evidence presented at the trial of this matter,

we find no manifest error in the trial court’s determination that Nance failed

to satisfy the residency requirement. Sellar introduced significant

documentary evidence to show that Nance continued to list his Love Street

residence as his home address as recently as January 2022. Nance made

public statements that his daughter and son-in-law were living at the North

10th Street residence in November 2020, did not begin garbage service at the

5
This Court observes that Paragraph 8 of the “Notice of Residency Form”
prepared by the Louisiana Secretary of State and signed by Nance, contains a
typographical error. The form contains the word “or” between homestead exemption and
residence. This is contrary to the language of La. R.S. 18:101, which includes the phrase
“a homestead exemption on a residence.” We find this to be an error of form and not
substance as the intent of the language is clearly meant to track the statute. Correction of
the form language should be undertaken by the Louisiana Secretary of State.
14
home until April 2021, and did not change his driver’s license address to

reflect the North 10th Street address until July 2021. Other objective

evidence likewise supports the trial court’s rejection of Nance’s self-serving

testimony. We find that the record before us fully supports the trial court’s

decision and affirm the trial court’s judgment.

APPELLEE’S ANSWER TO APPEAL

Contending that Nance’s appeal serves only the purposes of vexation

and delay and sets forth no serious argument to warrant reversal of the trial

court’s ruling, Sellar summarily seeks frivolous appeal damages “to

compensate for the costs and fees associated with responding to the appellate

proceedings in this matter.”

An appellate court may render any judgment that is just, legal and

proper on the record on appeal and may award damages for a frivolous

appeal. La. C.C.P. art. 2164. This provision is penal in nature and is to be

strictly construed. Aymond v. Citizens Progressive Bank, 52,623 (La. App. 2

Cir. 6/26/19), 277 So. 3d 477, writ denied, 19-1200 (La. 10/15/19), 280 So.

3d 602; Victus 1, Inc. v. Stocky’s World Famous Pizza #14, Inc., 52,221 (La.

App. 2 Cir. 9/26/18), 256 So. 3d 1146. Damages for frivolous appeal are

allowed only when it is obvious that the appeal was taken solely for delay,

that the appeal fails to raise a serious legal question, or that counsel is not

sincere in the view of the law he advocates, even though the court is of the

opinion that such view is not meritorious. Id. The award of damages and

attorney fees for a frivolous appeal are utilized to curtail the filing of appeals

that are intended to delay litigation, harass another party, or those that have

no reasonable basis in fact or law. Id. Appeals are always favored and,

unless the appeal is unquestionably frivolous, damages will not be allowed.
15
Aymond v. Citizens Progressive Bank, supra. Any doubts regarding whether

an appeal is frivolous must be resolved in the appellant’s favor. Wabnig v.

Est. of Wabnig, 20-0520 (La. App. 4 Cir. 4/21/21), 318 So. 3d 1094, writ

denied, 21-00712 (La. 10/1/21), 324 So. 3d 1064. Although Nance was

unsuccessful in proving his theory of the case, we cannot say that this appeal

is frivolous. We deny Sellar’s request for frivolous appeal damages.

CONCLUSION

For the foregoing reasons, the trial court’s judgment is affirmed.

Sellar’s request for frivolous appeal damages is denied. Costs of this appeal

are assessed to Nance.

AFFIRMED; FRIVOLOUS APPEAL DAMAGES DENIED.

16

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/11047787. Public record. Not legal advice.
