Judge Veronica E. Henry
Division G

OFFICE HOURS - Room 312

Monday through Friday
9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Phone: (504) 407-0260
Fax: (504) 592-9345

Email:divisiong@orleanscdc.com

*The Judge strictly enforces the Local Rules - Click Here

I.       GENERAL RULES AND PROCEDURES

a.      Zoom Hearing: Once you enter the zoom hearing, please ensure your microphone is on mute. Other matters could be set at the same time as your proceeding.

b.      Live testimony requires a special setting rule date. Please schedule a special setting date through the Division. You must inform the court that your matter will require live testimony.

c.      Continuances of Rules: In order for a rule to be continued, the mover must submit written confirmation via email to the law clerks that the adverse parties have been contacted and have no objection to the continuance. The party requesting the continuance should also file a motion to reset along with service sheets and instructions. If there is an objection, a contradictory hearing will take place on the set rule date. Matters continued without date will need to have new courtesy copies of the pleadings delivered when the matter is reset.

d.      Please call the Division for available rule dates.

e.       Motions for Summary Judgment: Motions for summary judgment shall be filed and served on all parties at least 65 days prior to trial. Any opposition to the motion and all documents in support of the opposition shall be filed and served not less than 15 days prior to the hearing on the motion. Any reply memorandum shall be filed and served not less than 5 days prior to the hearing on the motion. Hearings must be at least 30 days after filing and at least 30 days before trial.

f.        Memoranda supporting or opposing motions or exceptions are due 8 days before the hearing as required by Rule 9.9 of the Local Rules. Failure to comply with this rule may result in forfeiture of oral argument. Please submit a tangible courtesy copy to chambers along with filing it in the record.

g.      Reply memorandum: If the mover or exceptor wishes to furnish the trial judge a reply memorandum, the reply memorandum must be furnished to the trial judge and served on all other parties so that it is received before 4:00 p.m. on a day that allows one full working day before the hearing, except for motions for summary judgment. Please submit a tangible courtesy copy to chambers along with filing it in the record.

h.      Continuances of rules: For a rule to be continued, the party requesting the rule must submit written confirmation via email to the law clerks that the adverse parties have been contacted and have no objection to the continuance. The party requesting the continuance should also file a motion to reset along with service sheets and instructions. If there is an objection, a contradictory hearing will take place on the set rule date.

II.    COURTESY COPIES

Local Rule 9.9 of the Rules for Louisiana District Courts requires that a courtesy copy of motions, exceptions, memoranda in support, and oppositions thereto be delivered to the judges. Courtesy copies shall be delivered in paper format to chamber and via email to the law clerks at kcutno@orleanscdc.com and sheavey@orleanscdc.com

III.    JUDGMENTS

a.      Judgments must be submitted within ten days of the hearing/trial. Please include the names of all attorneys or parties who need to be notified, including their bar numbers, addresses, and emails, on all judgments. The party preparing the judgment must circulate the judgment and attach a 9.5 certificate.
*If the parties are in disagreement with the judgment, they should request a transcript from the court reporter and attach a copy to their proposed judgment.

b.      After the judgment is signed, the original is filed in the record and a certified copy of the judgment and notice of signing of judgment will be mailed to all parties as per Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure Article 1913. Additional copies of judgments may be obtained from the Clerk's Office.

 *NOTE: JUDGMENTS WILL BE DENIED IF THE 9.5 CERTIFICATE IS NOT ATTACHED.

c.       Consent Judgments are to be submitted within 14 days of the hearing. Signatures of representatives of the parties to the Consent Judgment shall be affixed to the Consent Judgment.

IV.     TRIALS

a.       All bench and jury trial dates require parties to schedule a Status Conference with the Division Law Clerk Sabrina Heavey. A Motion to Set Trial on the Merits must be filed with the Clerk of Court to have trial date set. Trial dates will not be fixed until the parties certify that all discovery has been completed. A motion to set trial may be filed by either party only after ALL discovery is complete.

b.      Discovery Cut-Off Conferences are held with the Minute Clerk Ashley Wallace. Please file a formal motion requesting that a discovery conference be held to establish a discovery cutoff schedule. Once the conference is held and the parties have filled out the Discovery Cut-Off Schedule, please email it back to the Division Minute Clerk at awallace@orleanscdc.com. Once the Minute Clerk has signed the Discovery Cut-Off Schedule, it will be filed with records.

c.       Exhibit Books: The parties shall have a conference date amongst themselves at least 10 days prior to trial to exchange exhibits and determine what exhibits are agreed upon as being authenticated and admissible. All exhibits that are agreed upon as being both authenticated and admissible should be labeled as "Joint Exhibit No. 1, 2, 3..." and put in binders. All other exhibits shall be labeled as either "Plaintiff Exhibit No. 1, 2, 3..." or "Defendant Exhibit No. 1, 2, 3..." and put in binders. An exhibit list should be included of all exhibits. Those exhibits that are objected to should indicate whether it is for admissibility or authenticity or both. Each party should have an exhibit book for themselves, the opposing party, the judge, and the witness. If the hearing, or trial, is scheduled via Zoom Video Conference, a hard copy of the exhibits must be provided to the judge's chambers no later than 7 days before the hearing or trial.

d.      Jury trials: The parties shall submit proposed jury instructions and jury interrogatories to the court 10 days prior to trial. Please provide a courtesy hard copy along with an electronic copy in Microsoft Word on a flash drive, CD, or email to the law clerk.

e.    Video display systems and ELMO interactive documentation display systems are available for use in our courtroom. These services/tools are available for reservation for a small fee and should be reserved at least 48 business hours in advance of the event; all equipment and services are first come, first served. Please complete the video request form on the court's website to make your reservation.

f.      Continuance of trials: A written motion to continue trial must be filed with the court. The motion must contain a brief reason for the continuance, whether this is the first request for a continuance, and whether the opposing party objects to the continuance. It is within the judge's sole discretion to grant or deny the continuance. If the continuance is contested, the matter will be set for a contradictory hearing.

V.    SETTLEMENT CONFERENCES

In order to schedule a settlement conference date, a motion to set settlement conference must be filed. A joint settlement outline must be submitted to the court at least 3 days prior to the conference.

VI. STATUS CONFERENCES

All requests for a status conference with the Judge must be made by formal motion filed with the Clerk of Court. The motion should clearly state the matters the parties wish to discuss with the Judge at the status conference.

VII.    TRANSCRIPT REQUEST

Transcript requests should be directed to the court reporter, Elizabeth Kane via email at ekane@orleanscdc.com. Please include the case caption, case number, and date of hearing. Daily copy transcript requests of trials must be pre-arranged with the court reporter prior to the day of trial.

VIII.    Division G FORMS
Motion Set for Trial (Form 85)
Joint Settlement Conference Outline
Discovery Cutoff Schedule Template
Courtroom Technology Support Request