Louisiana Supreme Court Denies Legal Defense Funding for Retired Judge Laurie White
The Louisiana Supreme Court on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, denied a request from retired Judge Laurie White for state-provided legal representation, as reported by fox8live.com. White served as the special prosecutor earlier this year in the now-dismissed criminal case against state Attorney General Liz Murrill. The high court’s decision arrives amid an ongoing public records dispute initiated by Murrill’s legal team, who are pressing for communications related to the initial grand jury indictment.
White Dismisses 16-Count Indictment Against Murrill
The legal proceedings stem from a 16-count indictment returned by an Orleans Parish grand jury on July 2, 2026, charging Murrill with eight counts of malfeasance in office and eight counts of intimidation against public officials. The charges followed letters Murrill wrote to New Orleans officials who opposed the consolidation of the city’s criminal and civil court clerk offices and pushed for a special election. White dismissed those charges on July 22, 2026, at the urging of the alleged victims in the case, which included New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno, Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams, and five City Council members.
Supreme Court Denies White Request to Pause Lawsuit
Murrill’s legal team subsequently filed public records requests targeting White and local officials to determine whether collusion occurred to instigate the criminal charges. Alongside denying White state-funded counsel, the Louisiana Supreme Court declined White’s request to pause the civil public records lawsuit filed against her. Chief Justice John L. Weimer wrote that White lacks standing to assert the public records exemption because she is no longer a prosecutor or investigator for the ongoing inquiry, though the current special prosecutor does have standing regarding information turned over to him.
The Louisiana Supreme Court announced Wednesday it would not act on dueling requests from Attorney General Liz Murrill's attorneys and special prosecutor Laurie White.The court's opinions were unanimous.The dispute involves pending lawsuits against White and Orleans Parish Di pic.twitter.com/qPNqJzSBL4
In the same session, the high court rejected a request from Murrill’s attorneys to appoint an ad-hoc judge in separate public records lawsuits targeting White and District Attorney Jason Williams. Justice John Michael Guidry stated that the criminal special grand jury investigation should take precedence over the civil matter and must not be impeded.
Investigation Into Grand Jury Conduct
The Louisiana Supreme Court previously appointed St. Tammany-Washington Parish District Attorney Collin Sims as special prosecutor to investigate the conduct of the grand jury. Sims is tasked with determining whether any criminal interference took place during the initial charging process. Murrill’s attorney, Laura Rodrigue, declined to comment on the rulings, and White was not immediately available for comment.
Frequently Asked Questions About the White and Murrill Case
Who is investigating the grand jury’s conduct?
St. Tammany-Washington Parish District Attorney Collin Sims serves as the special prosecutor appointed by the Louisiana Supreme Court to investigate the conduct of the grand jury.
Why were the original charges against Liz Murrill dismissed?
Retired Judge Laurie White dismissed the 16-count indictment on July 22, 2026, following requests from the alleged victims, including New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno and Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams.
What did the Louisiana Supreme Court rule regarding public records?
The high court denied retired Judge White’s request to pause the public records lawsuit and ruled that she lacks standing to assert exemptions, noting that the ongoing criminal investigation led by Collin Sims takes precedence over the civil matters.
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