Background
Mario Ledet sought supervisory review of a judgment entered by the 19th Judicial District Court in East Baton Rouge Parish in his case against the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.
The district court signed the judgment on December 4, 2025, and notice was mailed on December 10, 2025. Ledet signed his notice of intent on January 15, 2026, and filed his writ application with the court of appeal on July 3, 2026.
The Court’s Holding
The Louisiana First Circuit declined to consider the writ application because it was untimely. Under Uniform Rules of Louisiana Courts of Appeal, Rule 4-3, the return date in a civil case may not exceed 30 days from notice of judgment as provided by Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure article 1914.
Ledet signed his notice of intent more than 30 days after notice of the district court’s judgment, and the writ application was not filed in the appellate court until months later. The court also stated that it would not consider supplementation of the application or an application for rehearing under Rules 2-18.7 and 4-9.
Key Takeaways
- A civil supervisory-writ deadline generally may not extend beyond 30 days from notice of judgment.
- Ledet’s notice of intent was untimely because he signed it more than 30 days after notice was mailed.
- The court did not reach the merits and barred supplementation and rehearing.
Why It Matters
The disposition underscores that Louisiana appellate courts strictly enforce procedural deadlines for supervisory writ applications. A litigant who misses the Rule 4-3 period may lose appellate review without any consideration of the underlying claims.