Stelly v. Ieyoub

799 So. 2d 1206, 1 La.App. 3 Cir. 0755, 2001 La. App. LEXIS 2467, 2001 WL 1337559
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedOctober 31, 2001
DocketNo. 01-0755
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 799 So. 2d 1206 (Stelly v. Ieyoub) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Stelly v. Ieyoub, 799 So. 2d 1206, 1 La.App. 3 Cir. 0755, 2001 La. App. LEXIS 2467, 2001 WL 1337559 (La. Ct. App. 2001).

Opinion

liAMY, Judge.

The plaintiff filed suit against a number of governmental entities, seeking civil redress for what he alleges was an unconstitutional method of selecting grand jury foremen. The method in question was in effect at the time of his 1991 indictment. Two of the defendants named in the suit filed exceptions of no cause of action and prescription. The exceptions were granted by the trial court, which also dismissed the claim as frivolous. The plaintiff appeals. We affirm.

Factual and Procedural Background

The plaintiff, Donald J. Stelly, alleges that he was indicted in March 1991 in Evangeline Parish. He contends that the grand jury foreman was selected by Judge Preston Aucoin in February 1991 pursuant to the method of selection set forth in La.Code Crim.P. art. 413(B)1 as it existed at the time. This method, he contends was unconstitutional due to racial discrimination.

The plaintiff, appearing before the court in proper person, does not make traditional post-conviction relief claims. Rather, he asks in his petition that the court declare the former La.Code Crim.P. art. 413(B) unconstitutional. He also asks for civil damages related to his incarceration, along with a dismissal of the charges against him and a reversal of his felony conviction. Named as defendants in the 12original petition, filed February 2, 2000, were “the State of Louisiana through the Attorney General Richard P. Ieyoub” and “Evangeline Parish.”

In June 2000, the attorney general filed an Exception of No Cause of Action, contending that the attorney general was not an appropriate defendant and arguing that, while a constitutional attack on a statute requires notice to the attorney general, it “is not an indispensable party to such an action, irrespective of how the constitutionality of a statute is challenged.” At a June 30, 2000 hearing, the trial court agreed, sustaining the attorney general’s exception.

The plaintiff twice amended the original petition. In June 2000, prior to the hear[1208]*1208ing on the attorney general’s exception of no cause of action, the plaintiff filed an amendment, naming several additional defendants, including the governor, president of the senate, speaker of the house, the district judge presiding over the grand jury, and an assistant district attorney. After the June 30 hearing, on August 18, 2000, the plaintiff again amended his petition, requesting the removal of the attorney general as a defendant and naming, as an additional defendant, Wayne Morein, Sheriff of Evangeline Parish.

Thereafter, on September 1, 2000, Sheriff Morein filed exceptions of prescription and no cause of action. The exceptions were granted by the trial court in an order, filed September 15, 2000, wherein the trial court stated:

The claim filed herein is frivolous, fails to state a claim upon which relief can be granted (a cause of action) and is prescribed. In accordance with La.R.S. 15:1188, the claim is ordered dismissed.

The plaintiff appeals, presenting the following issues for review in his brief to this court:

|g-l. Whether the 13th Judicial District Court has jurisdiction to use summary judicial review, pursuant to La.R.S. 15:1188?
2. Whether plaintiff fails to state a claim upon which relief can be granted?
3. Whether prescri[p]tion has prescribed from a continuous tort injury?

Discussion

Cause of Action — Attorney General

We first address the question of whether the plaintiffs petition alleged a cause of action against the attorney general. We conclude that it does not.2

Although the plaintiffs petition is unclear as to the precise claim made and the remedy sought, it is clear that, in some degree, the plaintiff questions the constitutionality of former La.Code Crim.P. art. 413(B). Explaining the attorney general’s role in cases involving a constitutional attack on the state’s laws, La.R.S. 49:257(B) provides:

Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the attorney general, at his discretion, shall represent or supervise the representation of the interests of the state in any action or proceeding in which the constitutionality of a state statute or of a resolution of the Legislature is challenged or assailed.3

In Vallo v. Gayle Oil Co., Inc., 94-1238, p. 7 (La.11/30/94); 646 So.2d 859, 864, the Louisiana Supreme Court referenced both La.R.S. 49:257(B) and La.Code Civ.P. art. 1880,4 and stated that “[ijrrespective of [1209]*1209how the constitutionality of a statute is challenged, the attorney general is not an indispensable party.” The court explained:

When the constitutionality of a statute, ordinance or franchise is assailed in a declaratory judgment action the attorney general must be served with a copy of the proceeding and he is entitled to be heard and/or, at his discretion, to represent or supervise the representation of the interests of the state in the proceeding. ... In all other proceedings in which the constitutionality of a statute, ordinance or franchise is assailed, the attorney general should be served notice and/or a copy of the pleading and, at his discretion, be allowed to be heard and to represent or supervise the representation of the interest of the state in the proceeding.

Id. (Citations omitted.)

It is clear, not only from the statute, but also from the discussion in Vallo, that the attorney general has the discretion whether to appear in a suit questioning the constitutionality of a statute. If a plaintiff is permitted to name the office as a party, in what appears to be at least partially a declaratory judgment action, the attorney general would no longer have the discretion whether to appear, undermining the statutory scheme. Accordingly, there was no error in the trial court’s determination that no cause of action existed against the attorney general.

| rExceptions of No Cause of Action/Prescription — Sheriff

The plaintiff argues that the trial court erred in granting the exceptions of no cause of action and prescription in favor of Wayne Morein, Sheriff of Evangeline Parish. As for the exception of no cause of action, the plaintiff argues only generally with regard to the constitutionality of the grand jury foreman selection process at the time of his indictment. Primarily, he argues that any cause of action could not have prescribed as he was subjected to a continuing tort. In his brief, he argues that “when tortious conduct and resulting damages are of a continuing nature, prescription does not begin until the conduct causing the damages is abated.”

Whether for prescription or no cause of action, we find no error in the trial court’s grant of the exceptions. An exception of no cause of action is used to determine “whether the law affords a remedy on the facts alleged in the pleading.” Everything on Wheels v. Subaru South, 616 So.2d 1234, 1235 (La.1993). In considering the exception, the court accepts as true, the well-pleaded factual allegations of the petition and determines whether, on the face of the petition, the plaintiff is entitled to the relief sought. Id.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
799 So. 2d 1206, 1 La.App. 3 Cir. 0755, 2001 La. App. LEXIS 2467, 2001 WL 1337559, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/stelly-v-ieyoub-lactapp-2001.