Louisiana: Attorney & Judicial Discipline
Who regulates lawyers and judges in Louisiana, how complaints are filed, counted, and adjudicated, and where the complaint and disposition numbers come from.
Attorney discipline
Who regulates lawyers in Louisiana Publishes statistics
Attorney discipline in Louisiana is administered by the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board (LADB) / Office of Disciplinary Counsel, under the ultimate authority of the Louisiana Supreme Court.
About -199.0% of complaints proceed past initial screening (2024); the rest are screened out or dismissed.
How complaints are filed
A complaint (often called a grievance) against a lawyer is filed directly with the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board (LADB) / Office of Disciplinary Counsel, typically via an online or printable complaint form. Filing is free and no lawyer is needed. The agency screens each filing to confirm it involves an attorney under its jurisdiction and conduct that could violate the rules of professional conduct; filings that survive screening are opened for investigation. The disciplinary process addresses professional misconduct — it cannot overturn a case result or award damages.
How complaints are counted
This state publishes aggregate attorney discipline statistics — sanctions by type, misconduct alleged, complaints filed/closed, status changes, rule violations, complainant categories, reinstatements. Published as: HTML dashboard (multi-table); coverage: 2016–2025. Best-in-class data.
How complaints are adjudicated
Louisiana follows the standard three-stage model used across U.S. jurisdictions: disciplinary counsel screens and investigates; where warranted, formal charges are heard by a hearing panel or disciplinary board, which recommends a sanction; and final authority over public discipline — disbarment, suspension, public censure or reprimand — rests with the Louisiana Supreme Court. Lesser private discipline (admonitions) may issue below the court level and never becomes public. Exact panel composition, deadlines, and appeal rights are set by the jurisdiction's disciplinary rules.
| Year | Complaints received | Disbarments | Public suspensions | Public reprimands censures | Private discipline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2,327 | 9 | 56 | 9 | 11 |
| 2020 | 1,854 | 6 | 53 | 9 | 26 |
| 2021 | 1,895 | 9 | 38 | 6 | 17 |
| 2022 | 2,345 | 9 | 55 | 8 | 33 |
| 2023 | 2,430 | 7 | 61 | 8 | 51 |
| 2024 | 2,340 | 2 | 53 | 15 | 19 |
Judicial discipline
Who regulates judges in Louisiana No published statistics
Complaints against Louisiana state judges are handled by the Judiciary Commission of Louisiana. (Federal judges sitting in Louisiana are covered by the separate federal system.)
How complaints are filed
Complaints about Louisiana judges are filed in writing with the Judiciary Commission of Louisiana. Filing is free and confidential. The commission's jurisdiction covers judicial conduct — bias, demeanor, conflicts, delay, abuse of office — not the legal correctness of rulings, which must be challenged on appeal. Complaints are screened confidentially, and most are dismissed at that stage.
How complaints are counted
This state publishes no aggregate judicial discipline statistics of its own. Commission site login-gated; some figures in LASC annual reports.
How complaints are adjudicated
If screening indicates possible misconduct, the commission investigates and may file formal charges heard in a formal proceeding. In most states the commission's role ends in a recommendation, with final public discipline — censure, suspension, or removal — imposed by the state's highest court; in some, the commission itself imposes sanctions subject to review. Louisiana's exact division of authority is set by its constitution and court rules. Confidential dispositions (private cautions or advisory letters) never become public.
| Year | Complaints received | Removals | Resigned retired under agreement | Private discipline | Suspensions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 358 | 1 | 3 | 8 | — |
| 2021 | 526 | — | 2 | 17 | 1 |
| 2022 | 453 | — | 2 | 17 | 2 |
| 2023 | 382 | — | 2 | 13 | — |
Sources
Where these numbers come from
- Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board (LADB) / Office of Disciplinary Counsel — attorney discipline statistics
- Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board (LADB) / Office of Disciplinary Counsel — main site
- ABA Survey on Lawyer Discipline Systems (S.O.L.D.)
- NCSC Center for Judicial Ethics — annual state judicial-discipline reviews