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Criminal Justice

Mayor, Judge and Jury

Louisiana’s Mayor’s Courts

If you break the law in many small towns in Louisiana, the mayor could be your judge. The arrangement is ripe for conflict of interest.

Impact of Our Reporting
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Mayor, Judge and Jury

Mayors Are Presiding Over Their Town Courts Despite Guidance Saying They Shouldn’t. A Lawmaker Calls for Reform.

We found more than a dozen places in Louisiana where the mayor sat on the bench of a court that pulled in a sizable share of the town’s revenue. The state says this arrangement could be unfair to defendants.

by Samantha Sunne, Dannah Sauer and Lee Zurik, WVUE-TV,

Local Reporting Network

The Louisiana Town Where a Traffic Stop Can Lead to One Charge After Another

by Lee Zurik, Samantha Sunne and Dannah Sauer, WVUE-TV, data analysis by Joel Jacobs, ProPublica,

This Louisiana Town Runs Largely on Traffic Fines. If You Fight Your Ticket, the Mayor Is Your Judge.

by Samantha Sunne, Dannah Sauer and Lee Zurik, WVUE-TV,