Featured Articles

Property Owners with Hurricane Gustav Damage Entitled to Reduced Property Tax Assessments

Steven Boutwell
September 08, 2008 18:37

 By Chris Dicharry Property taxes in Louisiana are based on the fair market value of taxable property. The assessors make the fair market value determination based upon the status and condition of property as of January 1 of each tax year. Certain types of immovable property are generally...

Recent Articles

$1.5 Million HIPAA Breach Settlement

Steven Boutwell
March 19, 2012 19:51

By Jennifer J. Thomas The United States Department of Health and Human Services, Offices for Civil Rights (“OCR”) and BlueCross Blue Shield of Tennessee (“BCBST”) announced a settlement this week for $1.5 million for a breach of protected health information under the Health...

Louisiana Supreme Court Rejects Application of Punitive Damages in Toxic Tort Case

Steven Boutwell
March 16, 2012 17:29

By Bradley C. Myers, Charles S. McCowan, Jr., and M. Dwayne Johnson The Louisiana Supreme Court recently issued a major decision in favor of industry by reversing the rulings of a trial court and an appellate court that found plaintiffs in a toxic tort case were entitled to an award of punitive...

Guidelines for Promoting Your Business Through Social Networking Websites

Steven Boutwell
March 15, 2012 16:21

By Tara M. Madison Social networks like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter are transforming the way companies communicate with consumers. Facebook, YouTube and Twitter can be powerful business tools, but you must be mindful of certain legal limitations and guidelines. The words “Facebook,”...

Louisiana Supreme Court Affirms Constitutionality of Statutory Cap for Damages in Medical Malpractice Cases

Steven Boutwell
March 14, 2012 14:50

By Jason R. Cashio The Louisiana Supreme Court has, once again, affirmed the constitutionality of the statutory cap for damages in Medical Malpractice cases.  On March 13, 2012, the Court reiterated its prior holding that the cap is constitutional and applicable to all qualified healthcare...

Standard & Poor's Proposes New Methodology for Rating Local Governments' General Obligation Debt

Steven Boutwell
March 13, 2012 16:41

By Angela W. Adolph Last week, Standard & Poor’s (“S&P”) proposed a new methodology for rating local governments’ general obligation debt. It would not apply to special purpose districts, such as school districts, or revenue bonds. The new methodology uses the same...

Non-profits: Opportunity to Finance Acquisition or Renovation of Property Using Qualified 501(c)(3) Bonds

Steven Boutwell
March 06, 2012 19:36

By Angela W. Adolph Non-profit organizations have the opportunity to finance the acquisition or renovation of property where they do their good works using qualified 501(c)(3) bonds, which often provide better financing terms and rates than those available from traditional lenders. The proceeds of...

Final Targeted Populations Rule Released

Steven Boutwell
February 29, 2012 23:49

By Angela W. Adolph The American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 amended the New Markets Tax Credit program (“NMTC”) to provide that certain targeted populations may be treated as low-income communities. The Internal Revenue Service provided some guidance on the topic in Notice 2006-60 and...

Advantages and Disadvantages of Arbitration

Steven Boutwell
February 28, 2012 21:41

By Amanda Stephens Alternative Dispute Resolutions (“ADR”), such as arbitration or mediation, have become popular methods for settling disputes among parties today. Entities and individuals are more frequently choosing to forego the process of the traditional court system for the...

The Medicare Secondary Payer Act And Mandatory Reporting Requirements: Driving Through the Fog

Steven Boutwell
February 21, 2012 11:48

By Barrye P. Miyagi The Medicare laws have undergone significant changes. With the relatively new reporting regulations and the focus on compliance, litigators must implement new procedures in their practice. Many companies are establishing guidelines to obtain information needed to comply with the...