News and Announcements

July 10, 2026

Justice Needs Jurors: Why a Rare St. Tammany Court Order Has Experts Talking

A local law professor said the St. Tammany order highlights a bigger issue — the struggle to seat a jury.

ST. TAMMANY PARISH, La. — A rare jury-selection order issued in St. Tammany Parish this week has drawn attention to a growing challenge facing courts across Louisiana: finding enough citizens willing and able to serve on juries.

The order allowed court officials to use Louisiana's "tales juror" procedure after the existing jury pool was not large enough to complete jury selection in a high-profile criminal case.

Under state law, judges outside Orleans Parish can summon additional prospective jurors from people in or around the courthouse when traditional jury pools are exhausted.

While the unusual move generated public curiosity, Southern University Law Center professor Angela Allen-Bell said the larger story is what it reveals about jury participation in Louisiana.

"I was actually excited to hear this being used," Allen-Bell said.

Allen-Bell, a nationally recognized expert on Louisiana's jury system and a leading voice behind the state's unanimous-jury reform movement, said courts frequently struggle with residents who simply ignore jury summonses.

While failing to report for jury duty can ultimately result in a warrant and a required appearance before a judge, Allen-Bell said many courts face practical challenges when attempting to enforce compliance.

"Across Louisiana, tracking people down after they fail to appear has become an administrative and costly burden," she said, noting that some judges have publicly expressed concerns about the expense involved in pursuing no-show jurors.

At the heart of the issue is the Sixth Amendment, which guarantees criminal defendants the right to a trial by an impartial jury.

Rather than viewing the St. Tammany order as a punishment, Allen-Bell sees it as an example of a court taking extra steps to protect a defendant's constitutional rights.

"When citizens don't show up, that leaves a person who is accused of a crime very vulnerable because they're in the grips of the state and there is nobody there to be a buffer between that person and the government," she said.

The challenge for courts is not simply filling seats.

Allen-Bell pointed to research showing that juries tend to reach more reliable outcomes when jurors bring a variety of life experiences, perspectives, occupations and socioeconomic backgrounds to the deliberation room.

"The science tells us that diversity increases the likelihood of more robust deliberations," she said.

That diversity can be difficult to achieve when large numbers of prospective jurors fail to report.

Even when people appear, some are excused because of financial hardships, child care responsibilities, medical issues or other legitimate conflicts. Others may be removed during the jury-selection process by attorneys or judges.

As a result, courts often move through multiple groups of potential jurors before finding enough qualified individuals to seat a jury.

Allen-Bell also acknowledged that jury service can create real hardships for many Louisianans. Compensation for jurors is relatively low, and many people cannot afford to miss work for multiple days.

Still, she argues that jury service should be viewed as an important civic responsibility.

"The jury box is another form of practicing citizenship," she said. "It is as important as casting votes when it's election time."

Though, Allen-Bell believes Louisiana courts could do more to broaden jury participation.

While many jurisdictions largely rely on voter registration records to create jury pools, other states use multiple databases, such as driver's license records and public service records, to reach a wider cross-section of residents.

Ultimately, she said, the unusual scene outside the St. Tammany courthouse should serve as a reminder of how much the justice system depends on ordinary citizens.

In a state that continues to grapple with criminal justice issues and high incarceration rates, Allen-Bell believes meaningful jury participation remains one of the most important ways residents can influence the legal system.

"We cannot opt out of jury service when the stakes are that high," she said.

Source:

Justice needs jurors: Why a rare St. Tammany court order has experts talking | wwltv.com

July 7, 2026

Articles and Artifacts Preserving the Life, Work, and Legacy of Attorney Louis A. Berry

May 29, 2026

Voting rights groups sue DOJ to block national voter surveil-and-purge database - CREW | Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington

May 20, 2026

Professor Angela A. Bell Represents SULC at Plessy v. Ferguson Anniversary CLE Event

Professor Angela A. Bell, Director of SULC’s Louis A. Berry Institute for Civil Rights, Human Rights and Social Justice, represented the Law Center at a CLE event hosted by the Law Library of Louisiana and co-sponsored by the Supreme Court of Louisiana Historical Society, the Plessy and Ferguson Initiative, and the UNO Earl K. Long Library. The event recognized the anniversary of the Plessy v. Ferguson decision, which declared “separate but equal” as constitutional. Professor Bell also serves on the Board of Directors for the Plessy and Ferguson Initiative.

Professor Bell is pictured with descendants of both the Plessy and Ferguson families (from left to right: Professor Bell is pictured second, Phoebe Ferguson is pictured third and Keith Plessy is pictured last).

We applaud Professor Bell’s commitment to justice and advancing legal education.

May 1, 2026

https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/local/2026/04/29/louisiana-names-highway-after-shreveport-civil-rights-icon/89334610007/

April 20, 2026

NY_Law Student Internship Opportunity

April 29, 2026

Louisiana Congressional Redistricting Interview with Press Robinson (2025)

La. v. Callais Opinion:

https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/24-109_21o3.pdf

In major Voting Rights Act case, Supreme Court strikes down redistricting map challenged as racially discriminatory:

In major Voting Rights Act case, Supreme Court strikes down redistricting map challenged as racially discriminatory | SCOTUSblog

April 20, 2026

‘A disturbing lack of integrity’: Columbia students file complaint against energy thinktank taking big oil money | Columbia University | The Guardian

April 15, 2026

SULC Louis A. Berry Institute Announces Summer Certificate Program; Applications Now Open on Rolling Basis

The Southern University Law Center's Louis A. Berry Institute for Civil Rights, Human Rights and Social Justice is now accepting applications on a rolling basis for its certificate program beginning summer 2026.

The program is designed to provide students with both rigorous academic training and hands-on legal experience in public interest work.

To be considered for admission, applicants must submit a brief statement of interest (not to exceed 1,000 words) along with a current resume to Angela A. Allen-Bell at ABell@sulc.edu.

Once accepted, students must submit a timely designation of participation in the program and complete all academic and experiential requirements to earn the certificate. Requirements include completion of a minimum of four approved certificate courses, maintaining at least a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale in certificate coursework, and fulfilling a practical legal experience component.

The experiential requirement may be satisfied through one of the following pathways: a minimum of one semester or summer session of legal work at an approved public interest organization, law firm, or government agency; a combined total of 300 hours of qualifying legal work completed over three consecutive semesters or sessions; or completion of a civil rights, social justice, and/or human rights project approved and supervised by the program director. These opportunities may be paid or unpaid and may also qualify for externship credit.

Applications are encouraged to be submitted early, as review will occur on a rolling basis beginning immediately.

April 13, 2026

University of Alabama Students File Lawsuit Challenging Suspension of Campus Magazines

Read Here

March 26, 2026

The Liability of Federal Agents for Civil Rights Violations

Constitutional Torts

March 24, 2026

American Council of Learned Societies v. Adam Wolfson (Arising From DEI Grant Cancellations)

"When DOGE Unleashed ChatGPT on the Humanities"

When DOGE Unleashed ChatGPT on the Humanities - The New York Times

Discovery Documents:

Lawsuit to Restore the NEH - AHA

Recent MSJ:

247-Memo-of-law-in-support-of-motion-for-summary-judgment.pdf

March 23, 2026

Answering the call for jury service

https://www.ncsc.org/resources-courts/answering-call-jury-service

March 10, 2026

LPB & Southern University Present The Inquisitor on March 17

https://www.sulc.edu/news/lpb-southern-university-present-the-inquisitor-on-march-17-2026

February 18, 2026

Human Rights in the U.S.: Handbook for Public Interest Attorneys (2026 Version)

February 11, 2026

The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers and
American Bar Association Section of Labor and Employment Law
Annual Law Student Writing Competition for 2026

Submission Deadline: 6/15/26

Rules/Details About Cash Prizes:

Law Student Writing Competition – CLEL

February 11, 2026

Call for Participation - 15th Annual National Civil Rights Conference

The Planning Committee for the 2026 National Civil Rights Conference (hereafter NCRC) is inviting you to attend the June 18th - 20th Conference. The three-day Conference will convene in Detroit (MI) and will include [1] must-see sights and activities (i.e., Motown Museum, Detroit Institute of Arts, Specialty Museums), [2] thought-provoking presentations and panel discussions from professionals and practitioners interested in human and civil rights, social justice, STEAM education, civic and global engagement, technology literacy, leadership development, silver rights and social equity, and [3] engaging workshops, artistic productions, innovative keynote speakers and opportunities for youth to participate in age-appropriate activities. Learn more

Louis Berry: Pioneer Lawyer, Civil Rights Advocate, and Educator

February 6, 2026

Louis Berry of Alexandria, Louisiana, is remembered as one of the most influential civil rights attorneys in the state’s modern history. Born October 9, 1914, Berry helped dismantle racial barriers in the legal profession and broadened access to justice for Black Americans in the segregated South.... Read More

National Black History Month, 2026

February 3, 2026

This year, we celebrate the most significant milestone in our Nation’s history: 250 glorious years of American independence. From the very beginning, our country has been blessed with countless black American heroes. For more than two and a half centuries, these legends have made timeless contributions to our government, laws, military, economy, workforce, and culture. With their tremendous legacy in mind, as President, I proclaim... Read More