South Lafourche Levee District v. Jarreau

GUIDRY, J.i

dissenting in part.

hi respectfully dissent from that portion of the opinion finding that attorney fees should be awarded in accordance with La. R.S. 13:5111 rather than La. R.S. 38:301(C)(2)(f). None of the jurisprudential authority relied on in the opinion directly deal with the application of La. R.S. 38:301(C)(2)(f) vis-a-vis La. R.S. 13:5111. Instead, the cited “levee” cases from the Fourth Circuit are based on .takings made under La. R.S. 38:387 E (under the Part V, titled “Expropriation by Declaration of Taking”) and La. R.S. 29:721 et seq. (the “Louisiana Homeland Security and Emergency Assistance and Disaster Act”).

Moreover, the First Circuit case cited as authority for applying La. R.S. 13:5111 is a case that does not involve a levee. And finally, I disagree with the majority’s apparent conclusion that La. R.S. 13:5111 is more specifically directed to the matter than La. R.S. 38:301, which inarguably applies in this case as it is applied to decide the issue of the just compensation due to the property owner. I believe that La. R.S. 38:301(C)(2)(f) is the statute more specifically directed to the matter, as this matter, as noted in the opinion, .specifically involves land taken for levee purposes. Whereas, La. R.S. 13:5111 appears to be the more general statute in this instance as it is directed to any appropriation by a governmental entity .and |2not just appropriations for levee purposes. Thus, for the foregoing reasons, I dissent from that portion of the opinion regarding the award of attorney fees in this matter.