Susan E. Percle Versus Leloashia Harmon Taylor and Jon Gegenheimer, in His Official Capacity as Clerk of Court for the Parish of Jefferson, State of Louisiana
Panel composed of Judges Susan M. Chehardy, Fredericka Homberg Wicker, Jude G. Gravois, Marc E. Johnson, Robert A. Chaisson, Stephen J. Windhorst, Hans J. Liljeberg, and John J. Molaison, Jr.
REVERSED
SMC
FHW
SJW
HJL
JJM
DISSENTS WITH REASONS
JGG
MEJ
RAC
COUNSEL FOR PLAINTIFF/APPELLANT, SUSAN E. PERCLE
Stephen M. Petit, Jr.
Brittany D. Rogers
Scott L. Sternberg
M. Suzanne Montero
COUNSEL FOR DEFENDANT/APPELLEE, LELOASHIA HARMON TAYLOR
Leloashia Taylor
This is an election suit arising out of the race for a district court judgeship in the Twenty-Fourth Judicial District Court, Parish of Jefferson.
On July 22, 2020, defendant, Leloashia Harmon Taylor, qualified for the office of Judge, Twenty-Fourth Judicial District Court, Division “M,” by filing a sworn notice of candidacy. In her notice of candidacy, Ms. Taylor listed her domicile address as 2414 Avenue Mont Marte, Gretna, Louisiana. Also in her notice of candidacy, Ms. Taylor certified, among other things, that:
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT:
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8) If I am a candidate for any office other than United States senator or representative in congress, that if I claim a homestead exemption or a residence pursuant to Article VII, Section 20 of the Constitution of Louisiana, I am registered and vote in the precinct in which that residence is located, unless I reside in a nursing home as defined in
La. R.S. 40:2009.2 or in a veterans’ home operated by the state or federal government.9) If I am a candidate for any office other than United States senator or representative in congress, that for each of the previous five tax years, I have filed my federal and state income tax returns, have filed for an extension of time for filing either my federal or state income tax return or both, or was not required to file either a federal or state income tax return or both.
10) I acknowledge that I am subject to the provisions of the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act if I am a candidate for any office other than United States senator, representative in congress, or member of a committee of a political party and that I do not owe any outstanding fines, fees, or penalties pursuant to the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act.
11) If I am a candidate for a major or district office as defined in
La. R.S. 18:1483.1 , I have filed each report that I have been required to file by the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act, if any were previously due ...
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13) I certify that I am knowledgeable of the laws governing election offenses as provided in Chapter 10 of Title 18 ...
14) All of the statements contained herein are true and correct. [Emphasis supplied.]
Ms. Taylor signed and dated the notice of candidacy form before a notary public and two witnesses on July 22, 2020, certifying under oath that all of the statements contained therein were true and correct.
Plaintiff, Susan E. Percle, a duly-qualified elector in the Parish of Jefferson, filed the instant suit seeking to disqualify Leloashia Harmon Taylor as a candidate for District Court Judge, Division “M,” in the primary election scheduled for November 3, 2020.1 Pursuant to
Ms. Percle further alleged that Ms. Taylor falsified her notice of candidacy, in violation of
Based on these false certifications made by Ms. Taylor in her notice of candidacy regarding her qualifying information, Ms. Percle averred that Ms. Taylor‘s candidacy for district court judge should be disqualified.
A hearing on the matter was held on July 30, 2020. At the hearing, Ms. Percle called Ms. Taylor and representatives from the Jefferson Parish Registrar of Voters and the Jefferson Parish Assessor‘s office to testify. Philip Trupiano, Chief Deputy for the Registrar of Voters, testified that Ms. Taylor has been registered to vote at 2413 Avenue Mont Marte, Gretna, Louisiana (the “Gretna Property“) since May 14, 2020. Ms. Taylor corroborated his testimony. Ms. Taylor further testified that she rents the Gretna Property, does not own it, and that she and her husband and children reside there. Ms. Taylor also testified and submitted evidence that the Gretna Property is her domicile.
Timothy Porteous, a representative of the Jefferson Parish Assessor‘s office, testified that according to their records, the Taylors have enjoyed a homestead exemption on a condominium they own located at 2509 Guiffrias Street, Unit 606,
Metairie, Louisiana (the “Metairie Property“), from at least 2008 through July 29, 2020. Mr. Porteous‘s testimony was confirmed by the testimony of Ms. Taylor‘s husband, Matthew Taylor, who stated that he revoked the homestead exemption on the Metairie property on July 29, 2020, seven days after Ms. Taylor had filed her notice of candidacy. Mr. Porteous further testified that no taxes have been due on the Metairie Property since 2006 since the homestead exemption was greater than the taxable assessment on the property. He also stated that in order for a homestead exemption to exist on a property, the owner (or representative of the owner) must personally apply for a homestead exemption by verifying that he both owns and occupies the property. Moreover, if and when the person claiming the homestead exemption no longer owns and occupies the property, he is bound to immediately remove the homestead exemption. Mr. Porteous confirmed that a condo association cannot apply for a homestead exemption for or on behalf of the individual condominiums owners; each condominium owner must apply. Ms. Taylor
Ms. Taylor testified that she did not intend to make the false statement on July 22, 2020, when she certified in her notice of candidacy that she was registered to vote in the same precinct where she enjoyed a homestead exemption. According to Ms. Taylor, although she acknowledged that she and her husband had never paid taxes on the Metairie Property, she was unaware of the homestead exemption at the time she filed her notice of candidacy and did not personally claim the homestead exemption on the property she and her husband jointly own. Ms. Taylor contends that because she did not personally “claim” the homestead exemption, her certification on the notice of candidacy was not false.
Further, as to her certification in the notice of candidacy that she had filed all of the forms she was required to file by the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act, Ms.
Taylor testified that at the time this statement was made it was not false because she did not understand that the Campaign Financial Disclosure Act required her to file Form 100 and Form 200 with the Louisiana Board of Ethics. Ms. Taylor testified that she launched her campaign for district court judge in or about March or April when she built her website and created her Facebook page. She stated that, in March or April, she personally spent more than $1,000 on professionally produced videos and production of campaign materials to promote her candidacy. Additionally, the record evidence established that Ms. Taylor was soliciting donations for her campaign during this period, and prior to filing any forms. Ms. Taylor further testified that while she chose to file her Form 100 and Form 200 with the Louisiana Board of Ethics after being served with Ms. Percle‘s objection to her candidacy and consulting with a lawyer, she maintained her belief that these were not forms she was required by the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act to file.
At the conclusion of the hearing, the trial court allowed the parties to file post-trial briefs. Thereafter, the trial court rendered judgment and reasons for judgment wherein he found that Ms. Taylor did, in fact, falsely certify in her notice of candidacy that she was registered to vote in the same precinct in which she claimed her homestead exemption. The trial court further found that “[Ms. Taylor‘s] certification that she filed each report she was required to file by the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act was incorrect.” Despite these factual findings—that Ms. Taylor made two false certifications in her notice of candidacy—the trial court determined that these false certifications were not legally disqualifying. Specifically, the trial court concluded that under
Despite the trial court‘s factual findings that Ms. Taylor made false certifications in her notice of candidacy, the trial court determined that because the homestead exemption certification and the filing of Forms 100 and 200 were not expressly enumerated in
The issue presented for this Court‘s review is whether
Law and Discussion
Applicable Legal Principles
The issue for review before this Court is purely a legal one. Appellate review of questions of law is simply a review of whether the trial court was legally correct or incorrect. Buford v. Williams, 11-568 (La. App. 5 Cir. 2/14/12), 88 So.3d 540, 545, writ denied, 12-264 (La. 4/27/12), 86 So.3d 630. If a decision is based on a trial court‘s erroneous interpretation of the law, rather than an exercise of its discretion, it is not entitled to deference. North v. Doucet, 18-437 (La. App. 5 Cir. 8/1/18), 253 So.3d 815, 818, writ denied, 18-1294 (La. 8/3/18), 249 So.3d
829 (citing Nixon v. Hughes, 15-1036 (La. App. 4 Cir. 9/29/15), 176 So.3d 1135, 1137).
In an election contest, because election laws must be interpreted to give the electorate the widest possible choice of candidates, a person objecting to the candidacy bears the burden of proving the candidate should be disqualified. Landiak v. Richmond, 05-758 (La. 3/24/05), 899 So.2d 535, 541; Russell v. Goldsby, 00-2595 (La. 9/22/00), 780 So.2d 1048, 1049-51. 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.” Becker v. Dean, 03-2493 (La. 9/18/03), 854 So.2d 864, 869; Russell, 780 So.2d at 1051; Dixon v. Hughes, 587 So.2d 679, 680 (La. 1991).
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. Troclair v. Joseph, 14-675 (La. App. 5 Cir. 9/9/14), 150 So.3d 315, 317, writs not considered, 14-1909 (La. 9/12/14), 148 So.3d 572 and 14-1920 (La. 9/12/14), 148 So.3d 937. Any doubt as to the qualifications of a candidate should be resolved in favor of allowing the candidate to run for public office. Becker, 854 So.2d at 869; Russell, 780 So.2d at 1051; Dixon, 587 So.2d at 680.
The “Manner Prescribed by Law” for Candidate Qualification
A. (1)(a) A notice of candidacy shall be in writing and shall state the candidate‘s name, the office he seeks, the address of his domicile, and the parish, ward, and precinct where he is registered to vote ...
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(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.
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(v) That he acknowledges that he is subject to the provisions of the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act if he is a candidate for any office other than United States senator, representative in congress, or member of a committee of a political party and that he does not owe any outstanding fines, fees, or penalties pursuant to the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act.
(vi) That, if he is a major or district office candidate as defined in R.S. 18:1483, he has filed each report he has been required to file by the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act, if any were previously due.
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(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,3 that if he claims a homestead exemption on a residence pursuant to Article VII, Section 20 of the Constitution of Louisiana, he is 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.
(b) The certificate shall be executed before a notary public or shall be witnessed by two persons who are registered to vote on the office the candidate seeks. [Emphasis added.]
As noted previously herein,
Here, in her notice of candidacy, Ms. Taylor swore that:
6) I have read this Notice of Candidacy ...
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8) If I am a candidate for any office other than United States senator or representative in congress, that if I claim a homestead exemption on a residence pursuant to Article VII, Section 20 of the Constitution of Louisiana, I am
registered and vote in the precinct in which that residence is located, unless I reside in a nursing home as defined in La. R.S. 20:2009.2 or in a veterans’ home operated by the state or federal government. * * *
11) If I am a candidate for a major or district office as defined in La. R.S. 18:1483, I have filed each report that I have been required to file by the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act, if any were previously due. [Emphasis added.]
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14) All the statements contained herein are true and correct.
The trial court found, and we agree, that based on the uncontroverted evidence and testimony presented at the hearing, the certifications Ms. Taylor made in her notice of candidacy with respect to the homestead exemption and the filing of the reports she was required to file with the Louisiana Ethics Board were false. However, the trial court made a legal determination that because making false statements on the notice of candidacy is not one of the seven enumerated reasons listed in
(1)The defendant failed to qualify for the primary election in the manner prescribed by law.
(2)The defendant failed to qualify for the primary election within the time prescribed by law.
(3)The defendant does not meet the qualifications for the office he seeks in the primary election.
(4)The defendant is prohibited by law from becoming a candidate for one or more of the offices for which he qualified.
(5)The defendant falsely certified on his notice of candidacy that he does not owe any outstanding fines, fees, or penalties pursuant to the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act as provided in R.S. 18:463(A)(2).
(6)The defendant falsely certified on his notice of candidacy that he does not owe any outstanding fines, fees, or penalties pursuant to the Code of Governmental Ethics as provided in R.S. 18:463(A)(2).
(7)The defendant falsely certified on his notice of candidacy that for each of the previous five tax years he has filed his federal and state income tax returns, has filed for an extension of time for filing either his federal or state income tax return or both as provided in R.S.
18:463(A)(2), or was not required to file either a federal or state income tax return or both.
As previously stated, Ms. Percle‘s objection to Ms. Taylor‘s candidacy seeking her disqualification is based solely on the first grounds enumerated in
This Court, in Joseph v. Trosclair, 14-675 (La. App. 5 Cir. 9/9/14), 150 So.3d 315, 317, writ not considered, 14-1909 (La. 9/12/14), 148 So.3d 572, and writ not considered, 14-1920 (La. 9/12/14), 148 So.3d 937, considered the issue of whether a candidate may be disqualified pursuant
“failing to qualify for the principal election in the manner prescribed by law,” when the notice of candidacy contained information certified by the candidate that was inaccurate or in error. There, we held that a notice of candidacy must be “free from errors” and “satisfy the legal requirements of accuracy when it is filed.” Id. In Trosclair, the candidate qualified for District Court Judge in St. John the Baptist Parish as a Democrat, but her party affiliation listed on her voter registration was “None.” Id. at 316. The trial judge disqualified her candidacy due to the inaccurate statement on her qualifying form, which statement the candidate certified as true and correct. In affirming the trial court‘s ruling, we found that the error the candidate made concerned “material information that is required by law to be accurate so that balloting can be properly published” and that “Ms. Joseph‘s failure to properly declare her party affiliation on her notice of candidacy has disqualified her from candidacy.” Id. at 318-19.
In Trosclair, as in this case, the candidate‘s notice of candidacy contained at least one, if not two, substantive false statements that the candidate certified as true and correct in her notice of candidacy. Even though the evidence showed that the candidate attempted to remedy the issues after the suit to disqualify was filed, she was nevertheless disqualified because the defects could not be remedied after the fact.
What is at stake here is no less than the integrity of the process of qualifying for public office. To allow a candidate to include false or inaccurate information under oath, without allowing the corresponding remedy of disqualification for making false statements will render the affidavit meaningless. In the case sub judice, Ms. Taylor does not dispute the trial court‘s factual findings that the statements she made in her notice of candidacy about her homestead exemption/voter registration and the filing of forms required by the Louisiana Ethics Board were false. These particular statements were contained in a section
of the notice of candidacy that required Ms. Taylor‘s certification under oath that the statements were true and correct. Ms. Taylor does not contest the trial court‘s finding that she, in fact, falsely certified these statements as true and correct in her notice of candidacy. Based upon our prior ruling in Trosclair, and having determined herein that any information contained in a notice of candidacy that requires the candidate‘s certification by affidavit constitutes substantive and/or material information, and that inaccuracies or falsities made by
DECREE
For the foregoing reasons, we reverse the trial judge as a matter of law, and we hereby find that defendant, Leloashia Harmon Taylor, shall be disqualified for the office of Judge, Twenty-Fourth Judicial District Court, Division “M.”
REVERSED
CHAISSON, J., DISSENTS WITH REASONS
I respectfully dissent from the majority‘s opinion to reverse the trial court‘s ruling that dismissed the petition to disqualify Ms. Taylor‘s candidacy for Judge of Division “M” of the 24th Judicial District Court. I agree with the trial court‘s detailed reasoning and analysis in reaching its decision to not disqualify Ms. Taylor as a candidate for the subject office.
Although the majority opinion acknowledges the legal principles that election laws “must be interpreted to give the electorate the widest possible choice of candidates,” the court must “liberally construe the laws governing the conduct of elections so as to promote rather than defeat candidacy,” and “doubts as to the qualifications of a candidate should be resolved in favor of allowing a candidate to run for public office,” the majority then proceeds to disregard these principles in favor of an arguably incorrect interpretation of
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.
(2) The defendant failed to qualify for the primary election within the time prescribed by law.
(3) The defendant does not meet the qualifications for the office he seeks in the primary election.
(4) The defendant is prohibited by law from becoming a candidate for one or more of the offices for which he qualified.
(5) The defendant falsely certified on his notice of candidacy that he does not owe any outstanding fines, fees, or penalties pursuant to the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act as provided in R.S. 18:463(A)(2).
(6) The defendant falsely certified on his notice of candidacy that he does not owe any outstanding fines, fees, or penalties pursuant to the Code of Governmental Ethics as provided in R.S. 18:463(A)(2).
(7) The defendant falsely certified on his notice of candidacy that for each of the previous five tax years he has filed his federal and state income tax returns, has filed for an extension of time for filing either his federal or state income tax return or both as provided in R.S. 18:463(A)(2), or was not required to file
either a federal or state income tax return or both. (Emphasis added).
The statute uses the mandatory “shall” and thus enumerates the exclusive grounds upon which a candidate in a primary election may be challenged and disqualified. Although the Legislature, in subsections (5) thru (7), expressly provides for disqualification on the grounds of false certifications in the Notice of Candidacy, those subsections deal with discrete and specific certifications required by
certifications required by
The two false certifications alleged by Ms. Percle (that the candidate “has filed each report he has been required to file by the Campaign Finance disclosure Act, if any were previously due” under
In contrast, the majority of this Court, in my opinion, does adopt a broad and expansive interpretation of
the majority‘s test for determining which statements are substantive and/or material turns upon whether the statement is one that requires the candidate‘s “certification by affidavit.”2
I am also concerned that the majority‘s test for determining which statements are substantive and/or material makes no distinction between statements that are clearly false statements and those that are legitimately honest mistakes, giving no consideration to the intent of the candidate. The majority states that Ms. Taylor has acknowledged that the incorrect statements were “false,” implying to me that Ms. Taylor intentionally made the misrepresentations.
Of apparent concern to the majority is that the trial court‘s interpretation of
clearly and explicitly provides which false certifications will potentially result in disqualification should a candidate be challenged and the false certification be proven.4
In Trosclair v. Becnel, 14-676 (La. App. 5 Cir. 9/9/14), 150 So.3d 324, this Court, citing Hamilton v. Royal Int‘l Petroleum Corp., 05-846 (La. 2/22/06), 934 So.2d 25, 33, stated: [I]t is not the function of the judicial branch in a civilian legal system to legislate by inserting penalty provisions into statutes where the legislature has chosen not to do so.” 150 So.3d at 327-28. In my opinion, the majority in this case provides the penalty provision that the Legislature chose not to provide. The Legislature could have easily provided in
An alternative, and reasonable, interpretation of
In my opinion, the majority‘s interpretation of
Statutory interpretation is a process the courts engage in when the language of a statute is susceptible of different meanings. In order to reach the language of
If these words are indeed ambiguous, then the majority‘s interpretation may be considered a reasonable one. However, the alternative interpretation, set forth by the trial court, is also reasonable. Indeed, for something to be ambiguous requires it to be susceptible to two or more reasonable interpretations. If there are two or more reasonable legal interpretations of
candidates in this race, which means the electorate will have no meaningful choice of candidate.
By reaching this conclusion, I do not in any way condone or encourage candidates to be untruthful or careless in their Notice of Candidacy and, as a result thereof, not face the consequence of possible disqualification. However, it is the province of the legislature to write the laws and the courts to enforce the laws as written, and thus, if the legislature desires that the two items pertinent herein to be grounds for disqualification, then it should specifically say so, like it did in sections (5), (6), and (7) of
For the stated reasons, I find that Ms. Percle has failed to prove any ground for disqualification of Ms. Taylor pursuant to
GRAVOIS, J., DISSENTS AND ASSIGNS REASONS
I respectfully dissent for all of the reasons assigned by Judge Chaisson.
I further want to add that although the majority relies upon Trosclair v. Joseph, 14-675 (La. App. 5 Cir. 9/9/14), 150 So.3d 315, 317, writ not considered, 14-1909 (La. 9/12/14), 148 So.3d 572, and writ not considered, 14-1920 (La. 9/12/14), 148 So.3d 937, I find that case both factually and legally distinguishable. In Trosclair, the candidate qualified for District Court Judge in St. John the Baptist Parish as a Democrat, but her party affiliation listed on her voter registration was “None.” Id. at 316. The candidate‘s party affiliation was material information required for balloting to be published by the Secretary of State, and the error in question, the discrepancy between the party affiliation listed on her voter registration and on her qualifying documents, could not be corrected after the fact, and thus served as a
For the foregoing reasons, I respectfully dissent and would affirm the ruling of the trial court that dismissed the petition objecting to the candidacy of Ms. Taylor.
JOHNSON, J., DISSENTS WITH REASONS
I, respectfully, dissent from the majority opinion in this matter that Leloashia Harmon-Taylor failed to qualify for the primary election in the manner prescribed by law as a candidate for Judge, Twenty-Fourth Judicial District Court, Division “M.” In her petition, Susan Percle (“Ms. Percle“) objected to Ms. Harmon-Taylor‘s qualification on the grounds that Ms. Harmon-Taylor “failed to qualify for the primary election in the manner prescribed by law” pursuant to
The trial court correctly determined that a person who desires to qualify as a candidate in the manner prescribed by law, enumerated in
I strongly disagree with the majority‘s assertion that the trial court‘s interpretation of
I would also argue that the trial court‘s interpretation does not render the language of
which
“[E]lection laws do not “indicate that it was the purpose of the law makers to obstruct with mere technical difficulties, the exercise of the right, which every citizen has, to seek the approval of his political associates, or of the public at large. ‘To the contrary, the whole spirit of the legislation is to encourage the multiplication of worthy candidates for nominations to public office, in order that the body of voters constituting a political party, or constituting the electorate at large, may have the benefit of a choice, and not be compelled to accept candidates chosen by the minority or thrust upon them in some other way.‘”
Roe v. Picou, 361 So.2d 874, 878 (La. 1978) citing Langridge v. Dauenhauer, 120 La. 450, 452-53, 45 So. 387, 388 (La. 1908).
Further, the CDNA contemplates violations by any candidate, the treasurer or chairman of a political committee, or any other person required to file any reports. See
Court, upon recommendation from the Judiciary Commission, is authorized to discipline the wrongdoer.
Respectfully, in my opinion the majority‘s holding in the case sub judice, and in Trosclair, in which I also filed a dissent, is wrong. When a law is clear and unambiguous and its application does not lead to absurd consequences, the law shall be applied as written, and no further interpretation may be made in search of the intent of the legislature.
The legislature is presumed to have acted with deliberation and to have enacted a statute in light of the preceding statutes involving the same subject matter. Under longstanding rules of statutory construction, where it is possible, courts have a duty in the interpretation of a statute to adopt a construction which harmonizes and reconciles it with other provisions dealing with the same subject matter. Thus, a statute must be applied and interpreted in a manner that is logical and consistent with the presumed fair purpose and intention the legislature had in enacting it. In addition, a general rule of statutory construction is that a specific statute controls over a broader, more general statute.
It is a fundamental rule that when two statutes deal with the same subject matter, if there is a conflict, the statute specifically directed to the matter at issue must prevail as an exception to the statute more general in character. Id. Also, there is a presumption that those who enact statutory provisions act deliberately and with full knowledge of existing laws on the same subject, with
knowledge of the effect of their act and a purpose in view.
Capital City Press, L.L.C. v. Louisiana State Univ. Sys. Bd. of Sup‘rs, 13-01(La. App. 1 Cir. 12/30/14); 168 So.3d 727, 737-38, writ denied, 15-209 (La. 4/17/15); 168 So.3d 401. Reading the relevant statutes and code articles together supports a finding that the legislature did not intend for every error, or even every substantive error, to disqualify otherwise qualified candidates.
Edwards is also distinguishable from the instant case because Edwards did not attach his financial statement to his notice of candidacy. Affixing that statement to the notice was the manner of qualifying prescribed by the law at that time.
For the foregoing reasons, I find that, although Petitioner proved (and Mrs. Taylor-Harmon admitted during testimony) that Mrs. Harmon-Taylor falsely certified on her notice of candidacy that she submitted the forms required by the CDNA and the home on which her family enjoyed a homestead exemption was not in the same precinct as the precinct in which she was registered to vote, the trial court did not commit legal error when it found that the petitioner did not prove a ground for an objection to Mrs. Taylor-Harmon‘s candidacy. Accordingly, I would affirm the trial court‘s judgment, dismiss Ms. Percle‘s objection, and allow Mrs. Harmon-Taylor to run for the office of Judge, Twenty-Fourth Judicial District Court, Division “M.”
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NOTICE OF JUDGMENT AND CERTIFICATE OF DELIVERY
20-CA-244
I CERTIFY THAT A COPY OF THE OPINION IN THE BELOW-NUMBERED MATTER HAS BEEN DELIVERED IN ACCORDANCE WITH UNIFORM RULES - COURT OF APPEAL, RULE 2-16.4 AND 2-16.5 THIS DAY AUGUST 5, 2020 TO THE TRIAL JUDGE, CLERK OF COURT, COUNSEL OF RECORD AND ALL PARTIES NOT REPRESENTED BY COUNSEL, AS LISTED BELOW:
CURTIS B. PURSELL CLERK OF COURT
E-NOTIFIED
24TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT (CLERK)
HON. RAYMOND S. STEIB, JR. (DISTRICT JUDGE)
BRITTANY D. ROGERS (APPELLANT)
STEPHEN M. PETIT, JR. (APPELLANT)
M. SUZANNE MONTERO (APPELLANT)
LELOASHIA TAYLOR (APPELLEE)
SCOTT L. STERNBERG (APPELLANT)
CAREY B. DASTE (APPELLEE)
MAILED
NO ATTORNEYS WERE MAILED