Petition for Writ of Certiorari — Cecelia F. Abadie, Petitioner v. Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board
Supreme Court briefNov 26, 2021
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Supreme Court, U.S.
FILED
zi-m
No.
3fn tlje Supreme Court of tfje QUniteb States:
Cecelia F. Abadie, Petitioner
Versus
La. Atty. Disciplinary Board, Office of
Disciplinary Counsel, Respondent
ON PETITION FOR A WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO
THE LOUISIANA SUPREME COURT
PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI
Cecelia F. Abadie
Petitioner Pro Se
La. Bar No. 19874
20 White Drive
Hammond, Louisiana 70401
985-542-7859
cfabadie@gmail.com
November 26, 2021
NOV 2 6 2021
OFFICE OF THE CLERK
QUESTIONS PRESENTED
The disciplinary system in Louisiana has
strayed from respecting due process for attorneys who
allege wrongdoing by a judge. Respondent’s client,
Mark Anthony Jenkins, was found not the biological
father in district court. The legal paternity issue was
set for hearing in juvenile court where the parties had
stipulated there was no authentic act of acknowledg
ment by Jenkins. On the day of trial, after a circuit
judge had taken the court record from juvenile court,
the judge refused to rule, falsely claiming district
court decided legal paternity. Opposing counsel filed a
writ application falsely presenting the untried issue
for “review.” Robert Murphy, the writing judge, decid
ed legal paternity by mischaracterizing a statement
as a “judicial confession to signing an acknowledgment of legal paternity.” Actions to nullify the ruling
for lack of supervisory jurisdiction failed in state and
federal courts that all ignored court record evidence.
Respondent was suspended for alleging collusion to
move the issue to circuit court without a trial. The
questions presented are; 1) whether suspending
respondent for a year and a day, after ignoring
evidence that supported her allegation, violated due
process and threatens freedom of speech; and 2)
whether the same disregard for the evidence against
the judge in a federal civil rights action shows access
to due process was blocked, and that compels
correction of the courts through writ of certiorari.
11
LIST OF PARTIES
Cecelia Farace Abadie, applicant
Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board
Office of Disciplinary Counsel, respondent
RULE 14.ldii) LIST
State ofLouisiana Dept, of Children & Family
Services, In the Interest ofMark Jenkins Jr. v. Mark
Jenkins Sr., Docket No. 2003-NS-1371, Jefferson
Parish Juvenile Court, Order in Minutes of July 7,
2014.
State ofLouisiana Dept, of Children & Family
Services In the Interest ofMark Jenkins Jr. v. Mark
Jenkins Sr., Docket No. 2003-NS-1371, Jefferson
Parish Juvenile Court, Minutes of September 15,
2014.
Mark Anthony Jenkins Sr. v. Latasha Jackson, No.
711-419, 24th Judicial District Court for the Parish of
Jefferson, State of Louisiana, Judgment signed on
Feb. 4, 2015.
State ofLouisiana Dept, of Children & Family
Services: In the Interest ofMark Jenkins Jr. v. Mark
Jenkins Sr., Docket No. 2003-NS-1371,
Ill
Jefferson Parish Juvenile Court, State of
Louisiana, Minutes of April 27, 2015.
Mark Anthony Jenkins Sr. v. Latasha Jackson, No.
15-CA- 293, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal, State of
Louisiana, Order of May 26, 2015.
Mark Anthony Jenkins v. Latasha Jackson, No. 2015CA-399, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal, State of
Louisiana, Disposition handed down on July 31, 2015.
Mark Anthony Jenkins v. Latasha Jackson, No. 2015CA-399, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal, State of
Louisiana; rehearing denied Sept. 2, 2015.
Mark Anthony Jenkins, Sr. v. Latasha Jackson, No.
2015-CJ-1622, Supreme Court of the State of
Louisiana, denied writ of certiorari, with one dissent,
Sept. 4, 2015.
Mark Anthony Jenkins Sr. v. Latasha Jackson, No.
711-419, 24th Judicial District Court, State of
Louisiana, denied motion to rebut finding of a judicial
confession, judgment signed Feb.l, 2016.
Mark Anthony Jenkins Sr. v. Latasha Jackson, No.
711*419, 24th Judicial District Court, judgment on
May 24, 2016! amended to add
dismissal of petition Nov. 7, 2016.
IV
Jenkins v. Jackson, 216 So. 3d 1082 (La. App., Feb. 22,
2017).
Mark Anthony Jenkins, Sr. v. Latasha Jackson, No.
16-CA-482, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal,
State of Louisiana, denied request for rehearing
March 22, 2017.
Mark Anthony Jenkins, Sr. v. Latasha Jackson, No.
2017-C-0652, Supreme Court of the State of
Louisiana, denied writ of certiorari with “one who
would grant,” Sept. 6, 2017.
Mark Anthony Jenkins v. Robert M. Murphy et al.,
United States District Court, Eastern District of
Louisiana, Civil Action No. 2-18-cv33122, dismissed complaint with prejudice Nov. 27,
2018.
Mark Anthony Jenkins v. Robert M. Murphy et al.,
Civil Action No. 2-18-3122, U. S. District
Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, denied new
trial, Jan. 14, 2019.
Mark Anthony Jenkins v. Timothy ORourke,
Jefferson Parish Assistant District Attorney,
Jefferson Parish Juvenile Court, et al., United
V
States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, No. 1930112, affirmed district court, Jan. 10, 2020,
designated not to be reported.
Mark Anthony Jenkins v. Timothy O’Rourke,
Jefferson Parish Assistant District Attorney,
Jefferson Parish Juvenile Court, et al., United States
Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, No. 19-30112,
denied rehearing en banc without poll, Feb. 21, 2020.
Mark Anthony Jenkins v. Timothy ORourke at al,
No. 20-433, filed July 17, 2020, on October 5, 2020
docket, Writ of certiorari denied.
In re Cecelia F Abadie, No. 2020-B-1276, Supreme
Court of Louisiana. 5/13/21, Rehearing denied June
29, 2021.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUESTIONS PRESENTED
i
LIST OF PARTIES
n
RULE 14. l(iii) LIST
li
APPENDIX
Vll
TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
xm
OPINIONS BELOW
1
VI
JURISDICTION
1
CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION
2
INTRODUCTION AND STATEMENT OF CASE.......2
REASONS FOR GRANTING WRIT
A. The Louisiana Supreme Court’s Opinion mis
represented the facts in the Jenkins case and
ignored court records that proved a circuit judge
conspired to rule without supervisory jurisdiction. 13
B. The Supreme Court’s Opinion ignored Louisi
ana jurisprudence, and that of the majority of
states interpreting Rule of Professional Conduct
8.2(a), which provides that objective evidence sup
porting an attorney’s allegation against a judge
15
makes the allegation protected speech
C. The Louisiana Supreme Court’s denial of due
process by failure to consider the evidence repeated
the same denial of due process in the federal district
and circuit courts when her client’s civil right’s
20
complaint for denial of a trial was dismissed.
D. The failure of the supreme court and federal courts
to recognize a ruling without supervisory jurisdic
tion shows that access to due process can be
Vll
blocked, and only a writ of certiorari can correct the
courts............................................................................ 27
APPENDIX
1. Supreme Court Opinion, Reports of Disciplinary
Committee and Recommendation of the
Disciplinary Board
Supreme Court for the State of Louisiana,
In re- Cecelia F Abadie, No. 202OB-1276
(La. May 13, 2021) Opinion.......................
8
Attorney Disciplinary Board,
In re-' Cecelia F. Abadie, Report of the
Disciplinary Committee.......................
25
Attorney Disciplinary Board,
In re- Cecelia F. Abadie, Recommendation
of the Disciplinary Board............................
29
2. Relevant opinions, orders, findings of fact, and
conclusions of law in state and federal courts
Jefferson Parish Juvenile Court for the State of
Louisiana, Dept, of Children & Family Services,
In the Interest ofMark Jenkins, Jr. v. Mark
Jenkins, Sr., No. 2003-NS-1371-0, Section C,
Minutes of July 7, 2014........................................
35
Vlll
24th Judicial District Court for Jefferson Parish,
State of Louisiana, No: 711-419, Div. A, Mark
Anthony Jenkins v. Latasha Jackson, Judgment
February 4, 2015 ......................................................
38
Jefferson Parish Juvenile Court, Louisiana Dept of
Children & Fam. Ser., In the Interest ofMark
Jenkins, Jr. v. Mark Jenkins, Sr., NO. 2003-NS1371-0, Sec. C, Minutes of 4/27/2015............................ 40
Jefferson Parish Juvenile Court, Louisiana Dept
of Children & Fam. Ser., In the Interest ofMark
Jenkins, Jr. v. Mark Jenkins, Sr., No. 2003-NS1371-0, Sec. C, Minutes of 6/15/2015.......................
42
Court of Appeal for the Fifth Circuit, State of
Louisiana, Mark Anthony Jenkins, Sr. v. Latasha
Jackson, No.l5-C-399 (5th Cir., La.) July 31, 2015
Disposition.....................................................................
44
Jenkins v. Jackson, 216 So.3d 1082 (La. App., 2017)
Quoted but not put into Appendix
3. Orders on requests for rehearing and writ
of certiorari
Supreme Court of the State of Louisiana,
In Re•' Cecelia F. Abadie, No:2020-B-01276,
Office of Disciplinary Board Number(s) 17-DB-
IX
056, June 29, 2021, application for rehearing
denied: three would grant..................................
53
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal, State of Louisiana,
Mark Anthony Jenkins Sr. v. Latasha Jackson,
No. 15-C-399, Rehearing denied, September 02,
2015.................................................................................
54
Supreme Court of the State of Louisiana, Mark
Anthony Jenkins, Sr. v. Latasha Jackson, No.
2015-CJ-1622, Sept. 4, 2015, Writ Denied, one
dissent: would grant.................................................
55
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal, State of Louisiana,
Mark Anthony Jenkins, Sr. v. Latasha Jackson,
No. 16-CA-w82, rehearing denied 3/22/17............
57
Supreme Court of the State of Louisiana, No. 2017C-0652, Mark Anthony Jenkins v. Latasha Jackson,
writ denied, Hughes, J., would grant, Sept. 6,
2017...................................................................................... 57
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth
Circuit, No. 19-30112, Mark Anthony Jenkins v.
Timothy O’Rourke et al., rehearing denied Feb.21,
2020 ................................................................................
5. Previous pleadings in which the questions were
raised
58
X
Louisiana Supreme Court “In re Cecelia F.
Abadie,” No. 2020-B-1276, Brief in Opposition
to the Recommendation to the Louisiana Supreme
59
Court
Louisiana Supreme Court, “In re Cecelia F.
Abadie,” No. 202OB-12716 Attorney Disciplinary
Proceeding, Application for Rehearing, filed
May 26, 2021................................................................. 61
Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board, In re-'
Cecelia Abadie, Docket No. 17-DB 56, Respond
ent’s Post-Hearing Memorandum, Aug. 12,
2019.............................................................................
64
Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board, In reCecelia Abadie, Docket No. 17-DB 56, “Timeline”
w. argument, 4/10/18.................................................
66
Louisiana Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal
Mark Anthony Jenkins Sr., Plaintiff-Respond
ent v. Latasha Jackson, Defendant- Applicant,
No. 15-C- 399, “Opposition to Latasha Jackson’s
Application for Writ” filed June 30, 2015.............
67
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal for the State of
Louisiana, No. 16-CA-482, Mark Anthony Jenkins
v. Latasha Jackson, Request for Reconsideration of
Dismissal of Petition to Nullify, filed 3/9/17............... 68
XI
Mark Anthony Jenkins v. Robert M. Murphy
et al., No. 2H8-CV-3122, Complaint................
72
6. Essential Material
Louisiana Civil Code art 203
74
24th Judicial District Court for the Parish of
Jefferson, State of Louisiana, Mark Anthony
Jenkins v. Latasha Jackson, No.711-419,
“Rule to Show Cause Why the Birth Certificate
Should Not Be Amended,” filed Oct. 17, 2014...
75
24th Judicial District Court for the Parish of
Jefferson, Mark Anthony Jenkins v. Latasha
Jackson,No/ 711-419, “Motion and Order for
Appeal, Feb. 24, 2015.......................................
82
Jefferson Parish Juvenile Court, Louisiana
Dept, of Children & Fam. Ser., In the Interest of
Mark Jenkins, Jr. v. Mark Jenkins, Sr., No. 2003
-NS-1371-0, Transcript excerpt of Hearing of
June 15, 2015...........................................................
83
Louisiana Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal, 15-C-399,
Mark Anthony Jenkins, Sr. v. Latasha Jackson,
Application of Latasha Jackson for Supervisory
Writ, June 23, 2015....................................................
85
Xll
24th Judicial District Court for the Parish of
Jefferson, State of Louisiana, Mark Anthony
Jenkins v. Latasha Jackson, No. 711-419, Transcript
excerpt of May 16, 2016 hearing on exceptions to
Petition to Nullify.............................................................. 87
United States District Court (E.D. La.) Mark
Anthony Jenkins v. Robert M. Murphy et al.,
No. 2:18-CV-3122, 11/27/18 Opinion................
88
United States Court of Appeal for Fifth Circuit,
(E.D. La.) Mark Anthony Jenkins v. Timothy
03’Rourke et al., No. 19-30112, Jan. 10, 2020)
Opinion.....................................................................
91
Supreme Court of Louisiana
Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board,
Office of Disciplinary Counsel, In the matter of
Cecelia Farace Abadie, Docket No. 17-DB-056,
Index Respondent’s Exhibit Binder
95
Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board, Office of
Disciplinary Counsel, Dec. 13, 2016 Letter offering
Private admonition.........................................................
97
Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board, Office of
Disciplinary Counsel, Letter of January 12, 2018
rejecting discovery requests......................................
99
Xlll
TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
Ames v. Kansas, U.S. 470, S.C. 4 S.Ct. 437
28
Baldwin v. Hale, 68 U.S. (l Wall.) 223, 17 L.Ed.
531 (1864)..............................................................
20
Bridges v. State of California, 314 U.S. 252,
62 S. Ct. 190, 86 L.Ed. 192 (1941)................
27-8
Code of Professional Conduct Rule 8.2(a)
15-6
Cohen v. Virginia, 6 Wheat. 319
28
Fourteenth Amendment, U.S. Constitution
20
Garrison v. Louisiana, 379 U.S. 64, 85 S.Ct. 209,
13 L.Ed.2d 125 (1964)............................................
16
Hans v. State ofLouisiana, 10 S.Ct 504,134 U.S. 1,
33 L.Ed. 842 (1890).................................................. 28
In the Matter of Emile J. Becker, Jr. 620 N.E.2d
691 (Ind. 1993).......................................................
28
In re Disciplinary Action Against Graham, 453 N.W.
2nd. 313 (Minn. 1990)
28
XIV
In re Mire, 197 So.3d 656, (La. 2/19/16)
17-20, 27, 28, 29
Jenkins v. Jackson, 216 So. 3d 1082 (La. App.2017)
8,9,10
La. Constitution of 1974, Art. 5, sec. 5
Louisiana State Bar Ass’n v. Karst, 428 So.2d
406 (La. 1983)..........................................................
19
6,17
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. LTD et al. v.
Zenith Radio Corporation et al, 475 U.S. 574,
109 S.Ct. 1348, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986).................
24
Matter of Thalheim, 853 F.2d 383, (5* Cir. 1988)
10
Matter of Westfall, 808 S.W. 2d 829 (Mo. 1991)
29
Miller -El v. Cockrell, 537 U.S. 322 (2003)
20,21
Morgan v. United States, 304 U.S. 1, 58 S.Ct. 773
82 L.Ed.1129 (1938)...................................................... 21-23
N Y. Times v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254 (1964)
U.S. v. Brown, 72 F. 3rd 25, 30 (5th Cir. 1995)
29
15,16
1
Cecelia Farace Abadie respectfully petitions for a
writ of certiorari to review the judgment of the
Louisiana Supreme Court.
OPINIONS BELOW
Supreme Court of Louisiana, In re Cecelia F. Abadie,
No. 2020-B-1276, 5/13/21, rehearing denied June 29,
2021.
In re Cecelia F Abadie, Louisiana Disciplinary Board,
Recommendation to the Louisiana Supreme Court, 17DB-056, November, 13, 2020.
In re Cecelia F Abadie, Louisiana Disciplinary Board,
Report of Hearing Committee, No. 17-DB-056,
December 11, 2019.
JURISDICTION
The Louisiana Supreme Court’s Opinion issued on
May 13, 2021. Request for Rehearing was filed on May
26, 2021 and denied on June 29, 2021. Jurisdiction is
proper over cases arising under the Constitution of the
United States, according to Article 3, Section 2 of the
Constitution.
2
CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION
United States Constitution, Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion, or prohibiting freedom of
speech,....
United States Constitution, Amendment XIV, Sec.
1
All persons born or naturalized in the United
States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are
citizens of the United States and of the State wherein
they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law
which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of
citizens of the United States! nor shall any State
deprive any person of life, liberty, or property,
without due process of law! nor deny to any person
within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
INTRODUCTION AND STATEMENT OF THE CASE
Opposing counsel, Kristyl Treadaway, filed the
disciplinary complaint against respondent on the day
after she and ADA O’Rourke received a courtesy copy of
a letter respondent was planning to send to a legislator
and district attorney. (App.infra, 33-35) The letter
alleged they colluded with state fifth circuit judge
Robert M. Murphy to prevent a trial in juvenile court to
determine if her client, Mark Jenkins, was the legal
father. It also alleged attorney Treadaway filed a writ
3
application and in it lied, claiming the district court
erred in deciding legal paternity! and that Judge
Murphy decided legal paternity without supervisory
jurisdiction. Respondent decided not to send the letter to
the addressees.
The Underlying Case
Jenkins and Jackson were not married when her
son was born in September, 1997. Jenkins signed the
birth certificate at the hospital! later they married, and
in 2003 they divorced. Jackson obtained child support
through the Department of Child and Family Services
(DCFS) in juvenile court. In 2011, Jenkins learned he
might not be the father of the child and did not recall if
he had signed an authentic act of acknowledgment
besides signing the birth certificate. Only an authentic
act of acknowledgment would make Jenkins the legal
father under La. C.C. art. 203. (App, infra, 74-5)
Normally, an inquiry to the Department of Health and
Hospitals (DHH), Center for Records and Statistics
would answer that question, but DHH produced a copy
of the birth certificate and in a separate statement
reported that an original acknowledgment was
destroyed during Hurricane Katrina without identifying
its form.
After receiving the report from DHH, Jenkins filed
a petition for damages for paternity fraud in district
court on February 15, 2012. The petition requested a
court-ordered paternity test, and revocation of “an
4
acknowledgment” in case an authentic act was
discovered.
Paternity test results ruled Jenkins out as the
biological father and respondent filed a petition to
nullify the child support order in juvenile court. This
dual court situation was used by disciplinary counsel
and the court to support its charge of duplicative filings.
Respondent explained that the same facts applied to
different actions in different courts, and there had been
several amendments. When Respondent learned that
the state registrar automatically forwarded copies of
acknowledgments to DCFS under a 1995 statute, she
informed juvenile court, and it ordered DCFS to produce
what it had. The ADA reported there was no authentic
act of acknowledgment. That admission left ODC and
the assistant district attorney who obtained the order
for support liable for the negligence or fraud. When the
ADA’s admission was not reported in the minutes,
Respondent requested that it be reported and the judge
set a hearing for that purpose. The hearing was delayed
until April 27, 2015.
On October 17, 2014 Respondent filed a Rule to
Show Cause in district court to obtain a ruling on
biological paternity. The rule requested an order to
DHH to remove Jenkins name from the birth certificate;
that the DNA Test Report be admitted into evidence!
and Jenkins be found not the father of Jackson’s son.
(App. infra, 75-81) Two judgments were signed on
February 4, 2015. Respondent assigned ODC’s exhibit
5
number, ODC 8p, to the judgment on biological
paternity she submitted into evidence. (App. infra, 3840) Later she realized ODC used that number for the
ruling denying an order to DHH and excluded the
judgment on paternity biological.
On April 27, 2015, the hearing to report the
stipulation in the minutes was held in juvenile court.
Attorney Treadaway stipulated for the parties that
there was no authentic act of acknowledgment. The
judge read the district court judgment of February 4,
2015 and observed that district court had ruled that
Jenkins was not the biological father. He then set the
legal paternity issue for trial on June 15, 2015, and
ordered memoranda on the legal paternity issue. (App.,
infra, 40-42). Treadaway filed an appeal from the
district court’s judgment on May 18, 2015. It stated that
the district court erred in finding “appellee was not the
father of Mark Anthony Jenkins Jr.” (Emphasis added.)
(App., infra, 82-83) The appeal was denied for improper
procedure and she was given until June 25, 2015 to file
an “appropriate application seeking review of the
interlocutory rulings contained in the February 4, 2015
judgment.” On May 26, 2015, respondent amended the
petition in district court to add DCFS as a defendant,
alleging it was liable for paternity fraud or negligence.
Treadaway moved for stay in the juvenile court
proceedings.
On June 15, 2015, the day set for trial, the juvenile
court judge granted the stay without referring to a
6
trial on legal paternity. (App infra 42-44) The judge and
Treadaway both claimed district court had ruled on
legal paternity and her “appeal” was “pending.”
(App,infra, 83-85). That claim had not been raised
before. The juvenile court judge stated there would be
no argument, and later in the hearing he stated that he
did not have the court record because the circuit court
had “requested it.” (App., infra, 84).
On June 23, 2015, Treadaway filed a writ applica
tion. (App. infra, 85-86). She claimed district court erred
in finding Jenkins not the “legal father.” The Opposition
Brief, (App. infra, 87) stated the issue had not been
decided at trial. The Feb. 4, 2015 judgment (App infra
38-40) proved it. Judge Robert Murphy wrote the
disposition of July 31, 2015 (App infra 44-53) and ruled
Jenkins “judicially confessed” to signing an
“acknowledgment of legal paternity.” (App, infra 49)
That ruling in effect decided that Jenkins was the legal
father. Respondent filed for Rehearing. It was denied.
Respondent applied for writ of certiorari. It was denied
on September 4, 2015 with one dissent. Justice Hughes
wrote:
Respectfully, the seemingly untimely review
and intervention of the Court of Appeal to
decide an issue not addressed in the trial
court’s judgment, based on the concept of
a“judicial confession,” is clearly wrong....
(App., infra, 56)
7
Respondent sent the letter complaining of
collusion to attorney Treadaway and ADA O’Rourke
on September 14, 2015. Treadaway immediately filed
the disciplinary complaint. Respondent responded
with the court records to prove what had occurred in
the courts and gave a deposition.
On March 10, 2016, Respondent filed a petition in
district court to nullify the circuit court’s ruling for
lack of supervisory jurisdiction. The district court
avoided finding lack of jurisdiction, even though,
during the hearing, the district judge admitted he had
not ruled on legal paternity. (App., infra, 87). The
court dismissed the petition to nullify as “prescribed.”
Respondent pointed out that an action to nullify an
absolutely null ruling does not prescribe. That was
ignored.
Respondent appealed on September 16, 2016. On
December 13, 2016 respondent was offered a private
admonition (App. infra. 97-99). Although the offer by
letter does not state it, the private admonition was
contingent on apologizing for the allegation against
Judge Murphy. The allegation against the judge was
the only infraction cited in the letter.
On appeal, Judge Robert Murphy was on the
panel to review the dismissal of the petition to nullify
his 2015 ruling. The “Facts and Procedural History” in
8
Jenkins v. Jackson, 216 So. 3d 1082 (La. App., 2017),
rendered on February 22, 2017, is reported on pages
1082 through 1088 in chronological order. On page
1087, there are material omissions. It reported:
After the trial court rendered its February
4th judgment, Mr. Jenkins filed a “petition
for Alteration of a Birth Certificate ...on
February 9, 2016. Subsequently he filed a
“Motion to Amend the Petition a Third
Time.” In that Motion, Mr. Jenkins
sought.... Mr. Jenkins also filed a “Motion
for Order to Calculate the Probability of
Paternity.” ...and requested that the DNA
information be used in the instant matter.
On June 23, 2015, Ms. Jackson filed a
supervisory writ with this Court, seeking
review of the trial court’s February 4, 2016
judgments. Ms. Jackson alleged that the trial
court erred when it overruled her exception of
prescription and found Mr. Jenkins not to be
the legal father... Jenkins at 1087.
The hearings in juvenile court on April 27, 2015,
and June 15, 2015 are not even mentioned in the
disposition’s “facts.” The disposition also
misrepresented the law on supervisory jurisdiction:
9
Because the 24th Judicial District Court is a
district court within our circuit, this Court had
supervisory jurisdiction to render
determinations relevant to Mr. Jenkins’
petition, which included the legal and biological
paternity of [Mark Anthony Jenkins, Jr.].
Jenkins, at 1090 (Emphasis added.)
That “holding” actually claims that a trial on an
issue pled in the petition is not needed for the Court of
Appeal to take up the issue on a supervisory writ
application. Rehearing was requested, (App. 68-72),
and denied on March 22, 2017. (App. 57) Writ of
certiorari was denied on September 6, 2017, with only
Justice Hughes willing to grant it. (App., infra, 57-58)
On March 22, 2018, respondent filed Mark
Anthony Jenkins v. Robert M. Murphy and Timothy
O’Rourke, a civil rights complaint under U.S.C. 42;1983
in United States District Court, Eastern District of
Louisiana. (App. infra 72-74) It was amended to add
Judge Barron Burmaster of the juvenile court and
attorney Kristyl Treadaway. The Amended Complaint
presented the court records, including Jenkins’ Rule to
Show Cause, the February 4, 2015 Judgment, Jackson’s
Exception of Prescription to the rule, and the fifth
circuit’s disposition of July 31, 2015.
The Rooker-Feldman objection was granted by
ignoring the facts showing lack of supervisory juris-
10
diction. The Opinion & Reasons copied word-for-word
the “Facts and Procedural History” given in Jenkins
atl084-1088. It ignored the facts regarding events in
juvenile court on April 27, 2015 and June 15, 2015. The
district court made the issue one of simple subject
matter jurisdiction and avoided the issue of supervisory
jurisdiction over the content of the judgment. It ruled:
“...it is clear that the July 31, 2015 order Jenkins
questions is not void for lack subject matter
jurisdiction....” (App. infra 88-91) The Federal Fifth
Circuit affirmed, adopting the Jenkins’ holding and not
noticing that the district court decided subject matter
jurisdiction, but holding referred to supervisory
jurisdiction. (App. infra 91-95)
The Disciplinary Process
Respondent was given no choice of a committee
member. Discovery requests for “specific instances when
she failed to provide competent representation,” and for
law supporting Judge Murphy’s supervisory jurisdiction
were denied in the attached letter, (App. infra. 99-101),
claiming that disciplinary matters are neither civil nor
criminal and discovery does not apply. However,
“Suspension is a quasi-criminal punishment in
character, any disciplinary rules used to impose this
sanction on attorneys must be strictly construed
resolving ambiguities in favor of the person charged.
Matter of Thalheim, 853 F.2d 383,388 (5th Cir. 1988).
11
Therefore, respondent should have been afforded at
least civil procedure. Respondent had no notice of the
specific documents, within 939 pages of exhibits going
back to 2012, about which she was going to be
questioned. On May 31, 2019, 14 months after Jenkins’
civil rights complaint was filed in federal court, the
hearing before the disciplinary committee took place.
Questioning about the details of her pleadings took
place after hours of the hearing had passed, and
respondent was exhausted.
Respondent had presented a timeline and prehearing argument to the Committee. (App. infra 66-67)
She testified to the court records she had given to the
panel members and entered into evidence. (App. infra
95-97) The records documented the crucial events of
October 17, 2014 through July 31, 2015 (App. 96) and
infra, pages 4*6. In her Post-Hearing Memorandum
(App. infra 64-66), Respondent summarized the
evidence and its significance. She explained it was not
coincidental that the juvenile court judge and opposing
attorney told the same lie at the hearing on June 155
and that the judge’s refusal to hear the issue, and the
attorney’s presentation of the issue in a writ application
from district court were steps that were needed to
illegally present the untried issue to the circuit court.
She pointed to the misrepresentations of facts and law
in Judge Murphy’s disposition that were used to rule
that Jenkins had judicially confessed to signing an
“acknowledgment of legal paternity.”
12
The Hearing Committee’s Recommendation
ignored the evidence. It stated, “Respondent did not
present any proof of any misconduct, and did not
defend against the Rule 8.2 violation.” (App. infra 27) It
described the civil rights complaint in federal court as a
“continuing the attack” on the judge. (App. infra 27)
The Committee Report stated that respondent’s
letter to opposing counsel was sufficient to prove the
charge of impugning the judge’s integrity. (App. infra
26) The evidence that the judge ruled without super
visory jurisdiction was irrelevant to the Committee. It
accepted every instance of a mistake in respondent’s
work that disciplinary counsel alleged, and ignored
respondent’s explanations for her choices. (App. infra
26) Respondent explained that she delayed service of
the petition in juvenile court while she determined if it
were possible to handle all of the actions in district
court; that the pleadings in district court and juvenile
court were not duplicative because the same facts
applied to the different causes of action in those courts.
She cited the civil procedure article that requires a
petition to nullify a circuit court ruling be filed in
district court. The Disciplinary Board accepted the
findings of incompetence with one exception. After
presenting the court records and explaining that denial
of a trial was denial of due process, (App. infra 59-61),
the only response from the Disciplinary Board was
“Have you apologized to Judge Murphy?”
13
REASONS FOR GRANTING WRIT
“The supreme court has general supervisory
jurisdiction over all other courts.” La. Constitution of
1974, Art. 5, sec. 5. Therefore, when wrongdoing by a
fifth circuit judge comes to its attention, it is obligated
to pay attention to it and deal with it, even when the
wrongdoing is presented to it in a disciplinary action
against an attorney. Instead of recognizing the violation
of supervisory jurisdiction and the facts that show it
was done by collusion, the supreme court violated law
and due process, and suspended respondent for a year
and a day, requiring her, in effect, to lie in order to be
reinstated.
A. All of the misrepresentations of facts in the
Supreme Court’s Opinion benefitted Judge Murphy
by disparaging respondent; and hiding the fact
that he ruled on legal paternity without
supervisory jurisdiction by fabricating a “judicial
confession” to signing an acknowledgment that the
parties had already stipulated had never been
signed.
Despite being a trier of fact, the Supreme Court’s
“Underlying Facts” did not consider the facts in the
court records submitted by respondent. The “Underlying
Facts” incorrectly stated: “Because respondent
14
continued to file pleadings on the issue of Mark’s
revocation of his acknowledgment of paternity... on
November 20, 2014, Ms. Treadaway filed a second
exception of prescription, and... Judge Steib again
denied the exception of prescription.” (App. infra 10)
The facts are that Respondent only asked for
revocation of “an acknowledgment” in the petition filed
in district court in February, 2012. Respondent never
asked for a hearing on revocation. In 2013, Latasha
Jackson’s first attorney filed an exception of prescript
ion to revoking an authentic act of acknowledgment
without any evidence that there had been an authentic
act of acknowledgment. On April 27, 2015, Treadaway
stipulated there had been no authentic act of
acknowledgment to revoke. (App. infra 41) Treadaway’s
November 20, 2014 exception of prescription was to
rebut the presumption of biological paternity that is
created by signing the birth certificate acknowledgment.
The “Underlying Facts” incorrectly stated: “Res
pondent opposed the writ application with the Fifth
Circuit Court of Appeal, essentially arguing that,
because neither the HHR nor DCFS could produce a
copy of the signed acknowledgment of paternity, the
issue of whether Mark can revoke the acknowledgment
was not prescribed.” (App. infra 11) That was never an
argument. Respondent’s Opposition Brief, (App. infra
60) argued that the circuit court did not have super
visory jurisdiction over that issue.
15
The “Underlying Facts” incorrectly claimed:
Because the previous pleadings by respondent
in the 24th JDC case indicated that Mark signed
the birth certificate and an acknowledgment of
paternity (considered a judicial confession by the
Fifth Circuit), the Fifth Circuit reversed Judge
Steib’s ruling ...regarding the issue of Mark’s
revocation of his acknowledgment of legal
paternity. (App. infra, ll)
That statement ignored the fact that the district
court (Judge Steib) had not ruled on legal paternity,
and the fifth circuit did not have supervisory jurisdic
tion to decide anything regarding legal paternity,
including the so-called “judicial confession” to signing
an “acknowledgment of legal paternity.”
B. Besides misstating the facts, the Opinion ignored
Code of Professional Conduct Rule 8.2(a) that
requires the court must consider the evidence to
determine objective support for an allegation.
Rule 8.2(a) provides: “A lawyer shall not make a
statement that the lawyer knows to be false or with
reckless disregard as to its truth or falsity concerning
the qualifications or integrity of a judge.” It follows that
consideration of the attorney’s evidence is needed to
determine if the allegation was based on objective
evidence that made it a reasonable conclusion. “The
Louisiana rule is identical to the ABA rule.” U.S. v.
Brown, 72 F. 3rd 25, 30 (5th Cir. 1995). In addition,
16
the comment to Rule 8.2 “suggests that the rule is
primarily a prohibition on comments made to the
public that would undermine public confidence in the
administration of justice.” US. v. Brown, p. 29. In
respondent’s case, she did not make the allegation
public. She confronted opposing attorneys in a private
letter because she knew they assisted the circuit judge.
Garrison v. Louisiana, 379 U.S. 64, 85 S.Ct. 209,
13 L.Ed.2d 125 (1964) held “this rule proscribes only
statements which the lawyer knows to be false or
which the lawyer makes with reckless disregard for the
truth, it comports with the First Amendment’s
guarantee of free speech.” Louisiana State Bar Ass’n v.
Karst, 428 So.2d 406 (La. 1983) interpreted DR 8102(B), the predecessor of Rule 8.2(a). It adopted an
objective standard, rather than a subjective standard,
in analyzing whether a statement is knowingly or
recklessly made.
It is the reasonableness of that belief and
the good faith of the attorney in asserting it
that determines whether or not one had
“knowingly made false accusations against a
judge.” ... In our opinion, DR 8-102(B) is
violated when an attorney intentionally
causes an accusation to be published which
he knows to be false, or which in the
exercise of ordinary care, he should know to
17
be false.” Karst quoted in In re Mire, 197
So.3d 656, 667 (La. 2/19/16)
Courts of other states have reached similar
conclusions, and have almost universally
disciplined attorneys under an objective
reasonableness standard. Mire at 667.
In re Mire, 197 So. 3d 656 (La. 2016) marks the
Louisiana Supreme Court’s significant deviation from
considering the totality of the attorney’s evidence to
determine if the allegation was reasonable. In a
partition of community property case, trial judge Keaty
made a disclosure regarding her relationship with the
former wife’s family. However, when bias was
suspected, Mire investigated and found the disclosure
was incomplete. Mire obtained a transcript of the
disclosure, and then subpoenaed the court reporter’s
CD. The CD was examined by an expert who testified
that that it did not come from court’s machine. It “was
kind of salt and peppered with different types of audio
files that were on here and there, not just the files that
would come from FTR....” He agreed it was spliced. (
Mire, 662) The technician who produced the CD
testified that the “court reporter provided him with two
forms of media, an audio cassette tape and digital
media.” His job “was to take the two recordings, find
the point where they overlapped, and make them into
one continuous piece of audio. He said he was told the
digital recorder in the courtroom was not working, so
18
the backup recorder stated via audio cassette tape and
then was switched to the digital recorder once it began
functioning again. He emphasized his splice did not
delete any material; it added matter.” Judge Keaty
testified that perhaps splicing was needed to take out
another hearing but the docket showed there were no
other hearings that day. {Mire, 663)
Despite the testimony, the disciplinary committee
found no factual basis for Mire’s allegations of
corruption, and the board adopted its findings. The
Supreme Court suspended Mire for a year and a day
after giving the following one paragraph analysis.
[R]respondent relies heavily on the
purportedly corrupted audio tape from the
Hunter hearing as providing support for the
assertions of incompetence and corruption of
the legal profession. We acknowledge there is
evidence in the record of these disciplinary
proceedings indicating the court reporter’s
tapes may have been spliced as a result of a
malfunction of the court reporter’s machine.
However, we see no evidentiary support for
respondent’s implication that Judge Keaty or
any person either through incompetence or
corrupt intent added substantive statements
to the official transcript which were not
contained in the original hearing. Ordinary
19
experience suggests that equipment can
malfunction. (Mire, 668) Emphasis added.
Justice Weimer’s Dissent stated, “The majority
has failed to account for some key evidence....” (Mire,
670). He listed: l) Judge Keaty’s real estate company
was marketing Ms. Hunter’s separate property that was
subject to a community property reimbursement claim.
(670). 2) Splicing was proved but with there was no
proof that the court recorder malfunctioned. 3) Judge
Keaty’s son employed Ms. Hunter’s sister. 4) The court
reporter sued to enjoin Mire from obtaining the tapes. 5)
Judge Keaty recanted her explanation that redaction of
the recordings was needed to take out other hearings
that day. 6) Judge Keaty amended her personal
disclosure form after denying it was inaccurate. 7)
Judge Keaty was in fact recused from the case for a
“community interest.” (Mire, 672)
Justice Weimer stated: “We are required to
evaluate the totality of the facts in this record to
determine if there is an objective factual basis for the
attorney to have made the allegations.” (Mire at 670.)
“The standard the majority describes is focused entirely
on respondent’s statements and whether there is
objective support for those statements.” .... “I believe
that a reasonable person could justifiably disbelieve
that the court’s recording went haywire at the exact
moment of Judge Keaty’s purported disclosure.” (In re
20
Mire, 190 So.3d 705,706 (Mem)(La.2016), rehearing
denied.
C. In denial of due process in respondent’s case, the
supreme court went farther than “not considering
the totality of evidence,” it ignored all of the
evidence.
The Louisiana Supreme Court’s Opinion claimed
respondent presented no defense to the charge of
impugning the integrity of Judge Murphy. It claimed
the defense was “unspoken.” It “... seemed to be that
she believes the allegations, contained in the collusion
letter and federal lawsuit.” Then it claimed the
“unspoken” defense made allegations against Judge
Murphy based on “speculation and conjecture rather
than solid evidence.” (App. infra 18) That was the
explanation for not mentioning any defense evidence in
the Opinion. (App. infra 61-63)
Respondent filed an Application for Rehearing
(App. infra 61-63) in which she referred again to the
material court records that proved Judge Murphy ruled
without supervisory jurisdiction in order to find
Jenkins was the legal father. The records proved the
lies to avoid a ruling in juvenile court, where the
stipulation meant Mr. Jenkins was not the legal father.
Though he was not the biological father, and there is
proof he was deceived by both Ms. Jackson and the
Department of Child and family Services, he paid
21
support until Ms. Jackson’s son was a major, while she
was remarried and a employed as a certified teacher.
Respondent argued that considering the evidence was
required for due process and that the Opinion of the
court was not the result of true adjudication.
The Fourteenth Amendment provides: “...nor
shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or
property, without due process of law.” Due process
means that “(P)ersons whose rights may be affected by
State action are entitled to be heard....” Baldwin v.
Hale, 68 U.S. (l Wall.) 223, 17 L.Ed. 531 (1864). “Being
heard” means more than simply the right to file
evidence into the record and present oral and written
argument. Being heard means having a fair tribunal
that will actually consider the evidence. Miller -El v.
Cockrell, 537 U.S. 322 (2003). Miller-El dealt with
courts’ failures to consider extensive evidence
presented by the defense regarding exclusion of blacks
from juries.
...this Court concludes that the District Court
did not give full consideration to the substan
tial evidence put forth in support of the prima
facie case. Instead, it accepted without quest
ion the state court’s evaluation .... More fun
damentally, the court was incorrect in not
inquiring whether a “substantial showing of
the denial of a constitutional right” had been
22
proved as Sec. 2253(c)( 2) requires. Miller -El
at 324.
Morgan v. United States, 304 U.S. 1, 58 S.Ct. 773,
82 L.Ed. 1129 (1938) dealt with the Department of
Agriculture’s strategy to ignore evidence presented by
market agencies at the Kansas City Stockyards and not
reveal its position to the plaintiffs. The court stated:
“The right to a hearing embraces not only the right to
present evidence, but also a reasonable opportunity to
know the claims of the opposing party and to meet
them. The right to submit argument implies that
opportunity; otherwise the right may be a barren one.”
Morgan 18.
Respondent presented specific facts cited to
specific court documents: the lies told by the juvenile
court judge and attorney Treadaway.' the disposition’s
ruling without supervisory jurisdiction! a circuit court
judge requesting the juvenile court record before the
day set for trial. Those facts were not addressed or
rebutted in the Supreme Court’s Opinion. Instead, it
ignored the facts. The Opinion accepted without
question the disciplinary committee’s and board’s
sketchy and very general rendition of the case. The
only descriptions of the collusion allegation given in the
Opinion were these two paragraphs:
Respondent accused Fifth Circuit Judge
Robert Murphy of colluding with DCFS
against Mark so Mark would not be
23
reimbursed for the child support payments he
made to Latasha. Respondent also accused
Ms. Treadaway of requesting the stay in the
Juvenile Court case as a way to give the Fifth
Circuit time to collude with the DCFS. (App.
infra 13)
The federal lawsuit accused Judge Murphy,
Mr. O’Rourke, and Ms. Treadaway of
conspiring “to allow Judge Murphy to usurp
the issue of legal paternity from Juvenile
Court.... (t)he conspirators stopped Juvenile
Court from deciding legal paternity, so that it
could take the place of biological paternity,
which was the issue decided in district court.
(App. infra 14)
Morgan recognized the strategy of avoiding a
joining of the issues in order to avoid consideration of
the evidence. Morgan noted how counsel for the
Government gave a “very general” “sketchy” discussion
and did not “reveal the claims of the Government.”
Morgan at 24. There was no information regarding
“the Government’s concrete claims....” Morgan atl9.
... there must be a hearing in a substantial
sense. And to give the substance of a hearing,
which is for the purpose of making
determinations upon the evidence, the officer
who makes the determinations must consider
and appraise the evidence which justifies
them.” Morgan at 23.
24
Instead of confronting the evidence presented by
the market agencies at the Kansas City Stockyards,
[The]secretary accepts and makes as his
own the findings which have been prepared by
active prosecutors for the Government, after ex
parte discussion with them and without
according any reasonable opportunity to the
respondents in the proceeding to know the
claims thus presented ...That is more than
an irregularity in practice; it is a vital defect.
Morgan at 22.
Failing to act “in accordance with the cherished
judicial tradition embodying the basic concepts of fair
play” discredits the judicial body. Morgan at 22. The
Supreme Court found the Secretary of Agriculture’s
order invalid because the required hearing was not
given. For the same reason, the Supreme Court’s
judgment in respondent’s should be reversed.
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. LTD et al. v.
Zenith Radio Corporation et al, 475 U.S. 574, 109 S.Ct.
1348, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986), gives criteria to evaluate
evidence of collusion. 1) The trier of fact must consider
whether there was an illegal conspiracy that caused
cognizable injury; and 2) whether the evidence tends to
exclude the possibility that the alleged conspirators
acted independently. Matsushita at 575.
25
In the Jenkins case, the injury, denial of a trial on
legal paternity and the opportunity to have the
stipulation of April 27, 2015 considered, was proved by
the juvenile court minutes of June 15, 2015 (App. infra
43-44), and the district court judgment of February 4,
2015. (App. infra, 39). Secondly, the facts show that
the alleged conspirators did not act independently.
Judge Murphy would not have been able to make the
first ruling on legal paternity if Judge Burmaster had
held the trial he had set on June 15, 2015. Before the
June 15, 2015 hearing, Judge Burmaster had ordered
the ADA to search DCFS records for acknowledgments
by Jenkins. He had ordered memoranda on the legal
paternity issue, (App. infra 41) and the right to
reimbursement of child support if fraud was proved. He
read the district court judgment, and the Minutes
reported his statement that district court had found
Jenkins was not the biological father. (App.infra 41)
However, after a circuit court judge requested his
record, as he stated in the hearing on June 15, 2015,
(App. infra 84), suddenly and without explaining why
he came to believe he had been mistaken for over a
year, he refused to rule. He falsely stated that the
district court had decided legal paternity.
It was not a coincidence that attorney Treadaway
told the same lie in court on June 15, 2015. (App. infra
84). There had to be prior agreement or prior instruct
ion from the same source. Treadaway filed her writ
26
application eight days after claiming her request for a
review was “pending” and claimed district court had
erred in ruling on legal paternity in the judgment of
February 4, 2015. Anyone looking at the district court
judgment of February 4, 2015 (App. infra 38-40)
would know her claim in the assignment of errors was
untrue. After receiving the letter from respondent, she
filed the complaint inviting ODC to examine the case.
She was not concerned that ODC would confront her
with the lie. In all of the hearings, reports and the
Opinion that followed, no one, except respondent,
mentioned her lie about what district court had decided
on February 4, 2015. Finally, Judge Murphy had
obviously been kept informed of what was happening in
the Jenkins case. He knew when to request the
juvenile court record.
A justice asked why Judge Murphy was singled
out from the panel by the allegation. Respondent
pointed to the disposition Judge Murphy wrote. The
disposition of July 31, 2015, (App. infra 44*53) confused
one writ application with another; one exception of
prescription with another! and the law on acknowled
gment by registry of a birth certificate with the law on
authentic acts of acknowledgment. Judge Murphy
avoided the specific term “authentic act of acknowledg
ment” and employed “legal acknowledgment” or “formal
acknowledgment” to avoid distinguishing between a
birth certificate acknowledgment and an acknowled
gment by authentic act. The disposition was confusing.
27
Unraveling it required close attention and being alert
to the intention to deceive.
Judge Murphy reached his intended ruling that
Jenkins “judicially confessed” to signing an acknow
ledgment of legal paternity by ignoring the require
ments for a judicial confession. In his dissent to denial
of writ of certiorari Justice Hughes stated the judicial
confession was clearly wrong.
The only comment in the Opinion regarding the
explanation was, “Her explanation as to why she
focused her allegations of collusion on Judge Murphy
makes little sense in light of the fact that Judge
Windhorst and Judge Liljeberg also signed the 2nd Fifth
Circuit ruling.” (App. infra. 22-23).
D. The failure of the Supreme Court and the federal
courts to recognize a ruling without supervisory
jurisdiction shows that access to due process was and
can again be blocked. Only a writ of certiorari can
correct the courts.
In the “Initial Brief of Disciplinary Counsel,” on p.
11 cited in Justice Weimer’s Dissent, in In re Mire, at
673, the Justice cited Disciplinary Counsel’s state
ment: “...we can never allow ourselves to tarnish the
image of our profession by accepting the use of
language like that employed by the Respondent.”
Justice Weimer recognized disciplinary counsel’s mis
understanding of his role and duty.
28
This position is both constitutionally
untenable and unwise. As the Supreme Court
has observed, judicial efforts to squelch
criticisms of the judiciary can result in worse
outcomes than any criticism could:
‘The assumption that respect for the
judiciary can be won by shielding judges from
published criticism wrongly appraises the
character of American public opinion. For it is a
prized American privilege to speak one’s mind,
although not always with perfect taste, on all
public institutions. And an enforced silence,
however limited, solely in the name of preserv
ing the dignity of the bench, would probably
engender resentment, suspicion, and contempt
much more than it would enhance respect.’
Bridges v. State of California, 314 U.S. 252,
270-71, 62 S. Ct. 190, 86 L.Ed. 192 (1941).
Quoted in In re Mire,
In the cases of Cohen v. Virginia, 6 Wheat.
319, and Ames v. Kansas, U.S. 470, S.C. 4 S.Ct.
437, the court held that when a state instituted
a suit it necessarily submitted itself to all
reviews in and transfers to the federal courts,
which the constitution and laws establishing
the court authorized, i.e., that having
voluntarily taken the position of suitor, the
state had necessitated the enforcement of all
29
legally established rules by which the rights of
parties litigant were ascertained and adjud
ged.... Hans v. State ofLouisiana, 10 S.Ct 504,
134 U.S. 1, 19, 33 L.Ed. 842 (1890)
In re Graham, 453 N.W. 2d 313 (Minn. 1990),
involved an attorney who stated in letters to a U.S.
attorney and to the Chief Justice of the Eighth Circuit
that a state judge, a United States Magistrate Judge,
and various attorneys had conspired to fix the outcome
of a federal case. In the Matter of Emile J. Becker, Jr.
620 N.E.2d 691 (Ind. 1993), dealt with an attorney who
accused a judge of deliberately failing to record the
witness and making no attempt to correct the damage.
The prosecuting attorney in Matter of Westfall, 808
S.W. 2d 829 (Mo. 1991) spoke on television regarding a
judge’s ruling, stating the judge’s reasons were “a little
bit less than honest” and that he “reached the
conclusion he wanted to reach.” Those allegations were
serious but the evidence was frivolous. Those attorneys
were charged with violating Rule 8.2. Their punish
ments, respectively, were a 60-day suspension, 30’day
suspension, and a public reprimand. Comparing their
punishments to that of respondent and Mire seems to
indicate that the more objective the evidence and
reasonable the allegation, the more the attorney has to
be punished.
The supreme court’s suspensions in Mire and
Abadie are in restraint of reasonable, objectively
30
supported complaints against judges. The New York
Times v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254, 288 (1964) standard
makes a person liable if the statement is false, and the
speaker knew the statement was false or acted with
reckless disregard of the truth. That makes the
disciplinary actions against respondent and attorney
Mire violations of their freedom of speech, and a danger
to all attorneys and the people of Louisiana.
Respondent prays that writ of certiorari issue to
the Louisiana Supreme Court and that after due
consideration, the ruling suspending respondent be
reversed.
Respectfully submitted,
Cecelia Farace Abadie, pro se
La. Bar No. 19874
20 White Drive
Hammond, Louisiana 70401
985-542-7859, cfabadie@gmail.com
A
This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.