La. Admin. Code tit. 22 § XV-1903

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 3, March 20, 2024

Section XV-1903 - General Standards for Capital Defense Counsel

A. Obligations of Defense Counsel

1. Since the death penalty differs from all other criminal penalties, defense counsel in a capital case should respond to this difference by making extraordinary efforts on behalf of the accused.

2. The minimum standard in a capital case is high quality representation. To provide high quality representation counsel should zealously preserve, protect, and promote the clients rights and interests, and be loyal to the client. Counsel should serve as the clients counselor and advocate with courage and devotion, free from conflicts of interest and political or judicial interference. Zealous, high quality representation is to be provided in accordance with the Louisiana Rules of Professional Conduct.

3. To ensure the preservation, protection and promotion of the clients right and interests, counsel should:

a. be proficient in the applicable substantive and procedural law;

b. acquire and maintain appropriate experience, skills and training;

c. devote adequate time and resources to the case;

d. engage in the preparation necessary for high quality representation;

e. endeavor to establish and maintain a relationship of trust and open communication with the client;

f. make accommodations where necessary due to a clients special circumstances, such as incompetence, mental or physical disability/illness, language barriers, youth, cultural differences, and circumstances of incarceration.

4. The primary and most fundamental obligation of a capital defense attorney to the administration of justice and as an officer of the court is to provide zealous, effective, high quality, ethical representation for his or her clients at all stages of the criminal process.

5. If personal matters make it impossible for defense counsel to fulfill the duty of zealous, high quality representation, he or she has a duty to refrain from representing the client.

6. Where counsel is unable to provide high quality representation in a particular case, counsel must promptly bring this deficiency to the attention of the capital case supervisor and the capital case coordinator or Responsible Agency. If the deficiency cannot be remedied, then counsel must bring the matter to the attention of the court and seek the relief appropriate to protect the interests of the client. Counsel may be unable to provide high quality representation due to a range of factors: lack of resources, insufficient time, excessive workload, poor health or other personal considerations, inadequate skill or experience etc.

7. Counsel assigned in any case in which the death penalty is a possible punishment should, even if the prosecutor has not indicated that the death penalty will be sought, begin preparation for the case as one in which the death penalty will be sought while employing strategies to have the case designated as a non-capital one. Even if the case has not been filed as a capital case, if there exists a reasonable possibility to believe that the case could be amended to a capital charge, counsel should be guided by capital defense techniques and these standards. In considering whether there is any reason to believe that the case could be amended, counsel should have regard to the nature of the allegations, the practice of the local prosecuting agency, statements by law enforcement and prosecutors, media and public sentiment, and any political factors that may impact the charging decision.

B. Training and Experience of Capital Defense Counsel

1. In order to provide high quality legal representation, counsel should have a mastery of any substantive criminal law and laws of criminal procedure that may be relevant to counsels representation. Counsel should also be familiar with the prevailing customs or practices of the relevant court, and the policies and practices of the prosecuting agency.

2. In providing representation at any stage in a capital case, counsel should be familiar with all applicable areas of law relevant to capital trials, appeals, and state and federal post-conviction relief.

3. Prior to agreeing to undertake representation in a capital case, counsel should have sufficient experience or training to provide high quality representation. Counsel should not accept a capital case assignment unless he or she has been certified for the specific level of representation assigned, and has the necessary knowledge and skills to handle the particular case.

4. If after being assigned a case counsel finds that the case involves particular issues or procedures in which counsel does not have the experience or training necessary to provide high quality legal representation, counsel should acquire the necessary knowledge or skills or request resources for another attorney to provide such services.

5. In providing high quality representation, counsel should consult with and take advantage of the skills and experience of other members of the criminal defense community and certified capital defenders, in particular. Further, where considerations of timing, resources or the interests of the client make it appropriate, counsel should request assignment of an additional attorney(s). Similarly, where appropriate, counsel should request assignment of an additional attorney(s) with specialized experience or knowledge to assist directly in particular aspects of the representation.

6. Capital defense counsel should complete a comprehensive training program in the defense of capital cases as required by the capital guidelines. Counsel should, on an ongoing basis, attend and successfully complete specialized training programs in the defense of capital cases. In addition to specific training, counsel should stay abreast of changes and developments in the law and other matters relevant to the defense of capital cases.

7. As a component of acquiring and maintaining adequate training, counsel should consult with other attorneys to acquire knowledge and familiarity with all facets of criminal representation, including information about practices of judges, prosecutors, and other court personnel. More experienced counsel should offer to mentor less experienced attorneys.

C. Resources and Caseload

1. Counsel should not accept a capital case assignment unless he or she has available sufficient resources to offer high quality legal representation to the client in the particular matter, including adequate funding, investigative services, mitigation services, support staff, office space, equipment, and research tools.

2. If after being assigned a case counsel discovers that he or she does not have available sufficient resources, then counsel should demand on behalf of the client all resources necessary to provide high quality legal representation. Counsel should seek necessary resources from all available sources, including litigating for those resources or for appropriate relief should the resources not be made available. Counsel should document in the file the resources he or she believes are needed and any attempts to obtain those resources. Counsel should create an adequate record in court to allow a full review of the denial of necessary resources or the failure to provide appropriate relief.

3. Counsel should maintain compliance with all applicable caseload and workload standards. When counsel's workload is such that counsel is unable to provide each client with high quality legal representation in accordance with the capital guidelines and these performance standards, counsel shall inform the case supervisor. If counsel believes the case supervisor has inadequately resolved the issue, counsel should raise the question progressively with the district and the state public defender, as appropriate. Where counsel has exhausted all avenues for reasonable resolution and the excessive workload issue has not been resolved counsel should, after providing the state public defender with reasonable notice, move to withdraw from the case or cases in which capital defense services in compliance with the guidelines and these performance standards cannot be provided.

4. Counsel should never give preference to retained clients over indigent clients, or suggest that retained clients should or would receive preference.

5. Counsel representing capital clients should, due to the nature of capital cases and the necessity for time-consuming research and preparation, give priority to death penalty cases over their other caseload.

D. Professionalism

1. Counsel has an obligation to keep and maintain a thorough, organized, and current file relating to the representation of each client. Counsels file relating to a representation includes both paper and electronic documents as well as physical objects, electronic data and audio-visual materials. Counsels file should be maintained in a fashion that will allow counsel to provide high quality representation to the client and allow successor counsel to clearly and accurately identify the work performed, the tactical decisions made, the materials obtained, the source from which materials and information were obtained, and the work product generated in the representation. Counsel should clearly document work performed, including analysis of file materials, in such a way that other team members and successor counsel may take advantage of the work performed and avoid unnecessary duplication of effort.

2. Counsel should act with reasonable diligence and promptness in representing the client. Counsel should be prompt for all court appearances and appointments and, in the submission of all motions, briefs, and other papers. Counsel should ensure that all court filings are proofread and edited to protect the clients rights from being forfeited due to error. Counsel should be present, alert, and focused on the clients best interests during all critical stages of the proceedings.

3. Counsels obligation to provide high quality representation to the client continues until counsel formally withdraws, or an order relieving counsel becomes final. Unless required to do so by law or the rules of professional conduct, counsel should not withdraw from a case until successor counsel has enrolled. Counsel who withdraws or is relieved should take all steps necessary to ensure that the clients rights and interests are adequately protected during any transfer of responsibility in the case. Such steps should include ensuring compliance with any filing or other deadlines in the case, and ensuring the collection or preservation of any evidence that may cease to be available if investigation were delayed.

4. All persons who are or have been members of the defense team have a continuing duty to safeguard the interests of the client, and should cooperate fully with successor counsel. This duty includes, but is not limited to:

a. maintaining the records of the case in a manner that will inform successor counsel of all significant developments relevant to the representation and any litigation;

b. promptly providing the clients files, as well as information regarding all aspects of the representation, to successor counsel;

c. sharing potential further areas of investigation and litigation with successor counsel; and

d. cooperating with such professionally appropriate legal strategies as may be chosen by successor counsel.

5. Where counsel enrolls in a case in which other counsel have previously provided representation, counsel should take all steps necessary to ensure the clients rights and interests are fully protected during any transfer or reallocation of responsibility in the case. Counsel should seek to interview all persons who are or have been members of the defense team with an aim to:

a. promptly obtaining the clients files or a copy of the files, as well as information regarding all aspects of the representation;

b. discovering potential further areas of investigation and litigation; and

c. facilitating cooperation from current and former defense team members in order to coordinate professionally appropriate legal strategies.

6. Current and former counsel should maintain the confidences of the client and assert all available privileges to protect the confidentiality of work product and communications with the client. Where disclosure of privileged or confidential information is strictly necessary in carrying out the representation, such disclosures should be limited to those necessary to advance the interests of the client and should be made in circumstances that limit the extent of any waiver of privilege or confidentiality.

7. Where appropriate counsel may share information with counsel for a co-defendant, and work together with counsel for a co-defendant on investigatory, preparatory and/or strategic matters, but counsels decisions should always reflect the needs of counsels client with special consideration for client confidentiality. Counsel should never abdicate the clients defense to a co-defendants counsel. Counsel should maintain full control of all decisions affecting the client. Counsel should consider whether it is appropriate to enter a formal joint defense agreement with one or more co-defendants.

8. Counsel and defense team members should provide full and honest cooperation with successor counsel undertaking the investigation and preparation of a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel. In providing honest cooperation, counsel should be alert to and avoid any improper influence arising from a desire to assist the client or to protect him or herself.

9. Where counsel is the subject of a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, he or she should not disclose any confidential or privileged information without the clients consent, unless and until a court formally determines that privilege has been waived and then only to the extent of any such waiver. The disclosure of confidential or privileged information in such circumstances should be limited to those matters necessary to respond to specific allegations by the client concerning the lawyers representation of the client. Nothing in this Standard shall diminish the responsibility of counsel to cooperate fully with the client and successor counsel, nor limit the ability of counsel to communicate confidential or privileged information to the client or his legal representativeness within the protection of the lawyer-client relationship.

10. While ensuring compliance with the Louisiana Rules of Professional Conduct in relation to extrajudicial statements, counsel should consider the potential benefits and harm of any publicity in deciding whether or not to make a public statement and the content of any such statement. When making written or oral statements in judicial proceedings, counsel should consider the potential benefits and harm likely to arise from the public dissemination of those statements. In responding to adverse publicity, counsel should consider the interests of the client and whether a statement is required to protect the client from the substantial undue prejudicial effect of recent publicity not initiated by the lawyer or the lawyer's client.

11. At each stage and subject to the circumstances of each case, counsel should be mindful of the desirability of treating any victim or other person affected by the crime alleged against the client with respect, dignity, and compassion. Counsel should avoid disparaging the victim directly or indirectly, unless necessary and appropriate in the circumstances of the particular case. Counsel should undertake victim outreach through an appropriately qualified team member, or the use of an expert in defense initiated victim outreach.

E. Conflicts of Interest

1. Counsel should be alert to all potential and actual conflicts of interest that would impair counsel's ability to represent a client. Conflicts of interest experienced by one counsel are relevant to all counsel: the existence of a conflict free lawyer on the defense team does not ameliorate the potential harm caused by a conflict affecting another lawyer on the team. Counsel should have a procedure for identifying conflicts when receiving new assignments and reviewing existing cases for conflicts where there is a relevant change in circumstances. At a minimum, counsel should maintain a conflict index containing the names of current and former clients which should be checked against the name of the client and, where known, the name of the victim(s), the name of any co-defendant(s), and the names of any important witnesses.

2. Where a capital case involves multiple defendants, a conflict will be presumed between the defendants and separate representation will be required. However, there are many other situations in which conflicts can arise. In addition to the current or prior representation of co-defendants or witnesses, conflicts can arise, for example, when a capital defense lawyer: is subject to investigation or criminal prosecution by state or federal authorities; is representing or has represented a witness or victim; is seeking employment with prosecuting agencies; has a financial, political or personal interest in the proceedings; has an excessive workload; or, is related to a victim or the judge. Disclosure of potential conflicts should be made under any of these circumstances and counsel should err in favor of disclosure of any other potential conflicts.

3. Conflicts of interest should be promptly resolved in a manner that advances the interests of the client and complies with the Louisiana Rules of Professional Conduct.

4. If a conflict develops during the course of representation, counsel has a duty to notify the client and, where required, the court in accordance with the rules of the court and the Louisiana Rules of Professional Conduct. Defense counsel should fully disclose to the client, at the earliest feasible opportunity, any interest in or connection with the case or any other matter that might be relevant to counsel's continuing representation. Such disclosure should include communication of information reasonably sufficient to permit the client to appreciate the significance of any conflict or potential conflict of interest.

5. Where the client files a motion, complaint, or grievance against counsel in regard to the quality of his or her representation, counsel should notify the Case Supervisor and the agency responsible for the assignment of counsel to the case.

6. Any waiver of conflict that is obtained should comply with the requirements of the Louisiana Rules of Professional Conduct, and should be obtained only after the client has been told: that a conflict of interest exists; the consequences to his defense from continuing with conflict-laden counsel; and that he has a right to obtain other counsel. In a capital case, any waiver of conflict should be obtained through and after consultation by the client with independent counsel. In order to allow the monitoring of the procedure of obtaining of a waiver, the capital case coordinator should be advised prior to obtaining a conflict waiver from an indigent capital defendant and should approve or provide for the assignment of independent counsel.

F. Allocation of Authority between Counsel and Client

1. The allocation of authority between counsel and the client shall be managed in accordance with Louisianas Rules of Professional Conduct, having particular regard to rules 1. 2

2. Counsel serves as the representative of the client and shall abide by the clients decisions regarding the objectives of the representation. However, counsel shall provide the client with his or her professional opinions with regard to the objectives of the representation. In counseling the client, counsel shall refer not only to the law but to other considerations such as moral, economic, social, and political factors that may be relevant to the clients situation. Counsel may enlist the assistance of others to assist in ensuring that the client is able to make informed decisions. Counsel shall reasonably consult with the client about the means by which the clients objectives are to be accomplished and may take such action as is impliedly authorized by the representation.

3. The attorney shall explain to the client those decisions that ultimately rest with the client and the advantages and disadvantages inherent in these choices. Counsel shall abide by the clients decision, made after meaningful consultation with counsel, as to a plea to be entered, whether to waive jury trial, whether the client will testify, and whether to appeal. However, counsel shall not abide by such a decision where the client is incompetent, including where the client is, in the circumstances, incapable of making a rational choice not substantially affected by mental disease, disorder or defect. In such circumstances, counsel should take the steps described in these standards relating to the representation of persons with diminished capacity and the raising of the clients incompetence.

4. Strategic and tactical decisions should be made by counsel after consultation with the client where feasible and appropriate. When feasible and appropriate, counsel and other team members should seek the clients input regarding decisions to be made in the case. Counsel should candidly advise the client regarding the probable success and consequences of adopting any particular posture in the proceedings, and provide the client with all information necessary to make informed decisions. Counsel should provide the client with his or her professional opinion on what course to adopt whenever possible. In order to ensure that consultation with the client is meaningful, counsel should make accommodations where necessary due to a client's special circumstances, such as incompetence, mental or physical disability/illness, language barriers, youth, cultural differences, and circumstances of incarceration.

5. While counsel is ordinarily responsible for determining the means by which the objectives of representation are to be accomplished, where the client revokes counsels express or implied authority to take a particular course of action, counsel may not act as the agent of the client without that authority. This will not prevent counsel from taking professionally responsible steps required by these Standards but counsel must not purport to be speaking on behalf of or otherwise acting as the agent of the client.

6. Counsel shall not take action he or she knows is inconsistent with the clients objectives of the representation. Counsel may not concede the clients guilt of the offense charged or a lesser included offense without first obtaining the consent of the client.

7. Where counsel and the client disagree as to the means by which the objectives of the representation are to be achieved counsel should consult with the client and seek a mutually agreeable resolution of the dispute. Counsel should consult with the case supervisor and utilize other defense team members in his or her efforts to resolve a dispute.

8. Where the client seeks to discharge counsel, every reasonable effort should be made to address the clients grievance with counsel and avoid discharge. Counsel should caution the client as to the possible negative consequences of discharging or attempting to discharge counsel and the likely result if any such attempt. Should the client persist with his desire to discharge counsel, the case supervisor and responsible agency should be immediately informed and counsel may request a substitution of counsel by the responsible agency. Counsel must move to withdraw when actually discharged by the client.

9. Where the client insists upon taking action with which the counsel has a fundamental disagreement or the representation has been rendered unreasonably difficult by the client, counsel shall advise the case supervisor and may request a substitution of counsel by the responsible agency. Where a substitution of counsel is not permitted, counsel may move to withdraw from the representation only with the prior consent of the responsible agency.

10. Any withdrawal of counsel, including a substitution of counsel, should occur with the leave of the court. Should the court refuse counsel leave to withdraw, then counsel should continue to represent the defendant.

11. Where counsel or a client make a reasonable request for substitution of counsel, the district defender or state public defender, as appropriate, shall take all reasonable steps to substitute counsel. Where substitution of counsel is not possible, every effort should be made to avoid the withdrawal or discharge of counsel, including the assignment of additional counsel, consultation with persons experienced in resolving such disputes and providing counsel access to expert advice and training designed to assist in resolving the dispute.

12. A clients capacity to make adequately considered decisions in connection with the representation may be diminished, whether because of mental impairment or for some other reason. Where counsel reasonably believes that the client has diminished capacity, he or she should:

a. as far as reasonably possible, maintain a normal client-lawyer relationship with the client;

b. if the client is at risk of substantial harm unless action is taken and the client cannot adequately act in his own interests, take reasonably necessary protective action. Such action may include: consulting with family members, using a reconsideration period to permit clarification or improvement of circumstances, using voluntary surrogate decision making tools such as durable powers of attorney or consulting with support groups, professional services, adult-protective agencies or other individuals or entities that have the ability to protect the client. In appropriate cases, counsel may seek the appointment of a fiduciary, including a guardian, curator or tutor, to protect the clients interests;

c. in taking any protective action, be guided by such factors as the wishes and values of the client to the extent known, the clients best interests and the goals of intruding into the clients decision-making autonomy to the least extent feasible, maximizing client capacities and respecting the clients family and social connections.

13. If counsel believes that the client will now or in the future seek to abandon some or all of the mitigation case or waive appellate or post-conviction review, counsel should notify the case supervisor and appropriate action should be taken to respond to this situation. Given the gravity and complexity of this situation, counsel and the case supervisor should consider consultation with additional counsel experienced and skilled in this area.

14. The client has a right to view or be provided with copies of documents in counsels file. Acknowledging the dangers of case related materials being held in custodial facilities, counsel should strongly advise the client against maintaining possession of any case related material. Counsel should provide alternatives to satisfy the clients requests, such as more frequent visits with team members to review relevant documents in a confidential setting, or transferring file to successor counsel. Upon the termination of the representation, the client will ordinarily be entitled to counsels entire file upon request.

G. Assembling the Defense Team

1. Counsel are to be assigned in accordance with the capital defense guidelines. Where possible, lead counsel should participate in the decision of who should be assigned as additional counsel. Lead counsel should advocate for the assignment of additional counsel with the skills, experience and resources appropriate to the provision of high quality representation in the case. Lead counsel should have regard to his or her own strengths and weaknesses in recommending the assignment of additional counsel in order to ensure the formation of a defense team capable of providing high quality representation to the client in the particular case.

2. Lead counsel bears overall responsibility for the performance of the defense team, and should allocate, direct, and supervise its work in accordance with these performance standards and the associated guidelines. Subject to the foregoing, lead counsel may delegate to other members of the defense team duties imposed by these standards, unless the standard specifically imposes the duty on "lead counsel."

3. As soon as practical after assignment and at all stages of a capital case, the director of the law office assigned the case, the contracting agency or lead counsel should assemble a defense team by:

a. providing advice regarding the number and identity of the additional counsel to be assigned;

b. selecting and making any appropriate staffing, employment or contractual agreements with non-attorney team members in such a way that the defense team includes:

i. at least one mitigation specialist and one fact investigator;

ii. at least one member with specialized training in identifying, documenting and interpreting symptoms of mental and behavioral impairment, including cognitive deficits, mental illness, developmental disability, neurological deficits; long-term consequences of deprivation, neglect and maltreatment during developmental years; social, cultural, historical, political, religious, racial, environmental and ethnic influences on behavior; effects of substance abuse and the presence, severity and consequences of exposure to trauma;

iii. individuals possessing the training and ability to obtain, understand and analyze all documentary and anecdotal information relevant to the clients history;

iv. sufficient support staff, such as secretarial, law clerk and paralegal support, to ensure that counsel is able to manage the administrative, file management, file review, legal research, court filing, copying, witness management, transportation and other practical tasks necessary to provide high quality representation; and

v. any other members needed to provide high quality legal representation, including people necessary to: reflect the seriousness, complexity or amount of work in a particular case; meet legal or factual issues involving specialist knowledge or experience; ensure that the team has the necessary skills, experience and capacity available to provide for the professional development of defense personnel through training and case experience; or, for other reasons arising in the circumstances of a particular case.

4. In selecting team members, lead counsel should have specific regard to the overall caseload of each team member (whether indigent, pro bono or privately funded) and should monitor the caseloads of all team members throughout the representation. Counsel should have regard to the benefits of a racially and culturally diverse team.

5. Where staff assignments to a team are made by the director of a law office or the contracting agency, rather than lead counsel, lead counsel remains responsible for ensuring that the staffing assignments and the defense team are in compliance with the Capital Guidelines and Performance Standards and are sufficient to permit high quality representation.

6. The defense team refers to those persons directly responsible for the legal representation of the client and those persons directly responsible for the fact and mitigation investigation. While others may assist the defense team, including lay and expert witnesses, they are not a part of the defense team as that term is used in this Section. The mitigation specialist retained as a part of the defense team is not intended to serve as a testifying witness and, if such a witness is necessary, a separate expert mitigation specialist should be retained.

7. Team members should be fully instructed on the practices and procedures to be adopted by the team, including the procedure for communication and decision-making within the team and how such matters will be recorded in the client file. Team meetings should be conducted no less than once every two weeks and should, wherever possible, include the in-person attendance of all team members. Team meetings should have an agenda and a record of the matters discussed, tasks assigned and decisions made at the team meeting should be maintained in the client file. All members of the team should be encouraged to participate and contribute.

8. Counsel should demand on behalf of the client all resources necessary to provide high quality legal representation. Counsel should promptly take the steps necessary to ensure that the defense team receives the assistance of all expert, investigative, and other ancillary professional services reasonably necessary or appropriate to provide high quality legal representation at every stage of the proceedings. If such resources are denied, counsel should make an adequate record to preserve the issue for judicial review and seek such review. It is the responsibility of counsel to be fully aware of the potential resources available to assist in the representation of the client and the rules and procedures to be followed to seek and obtain such resources.

9. While lead counsel bears ultimate responsibility for the performance of the defense team and for decisions affecting the client and the case, all additional counsel should ensure that the team and its members are providing high quality representation in accordance with these Performance Standards and associated Guidelines.

10. In general, counsel should avoid assigning one lawyer to handle the guilt-innocence phase and another lawyer to handle the penalty phase.

H. Scope of Representation

1. Counsel should represent the client in the matter assigned from the time of assignment until relieved by the assignment of successor counsel or by order of the court.

2. Ordinarily, counsel representing a capital defendant should assume responsibility for the representation of the defendant in all pending criminal and collateral proceedings involving the client for which counsel is adequately qualified and experienced. Counsel should represent the client in any new criminal proceeding arising during the course of the capital representation. Counsel should investigate and commence appellate or collateral proceedings regarding other criminal convictions of the client where the favorable resolution of such an action is likely to be of significance in the capital proceeding. Counsel shall have the discretion to assist incarcerated clients seeking redress of institutional grievances or responding to institutional proceedings and should do so where the resolution of the grievance or proceeding is likely to be of significance in the capital proceeding.

3. Where it is not appropriate for counsel to assume the representation of the defendant in other proceedings due to a lack of appropriate experience or qualifications, lack of sufficient resources, or for other reasons, counsel should take all reasonable steps to ensure that appropriately qualified counsel is representing the client and is, where possible, capitally certified.

4. Counsel should maintain close communication with and seek the cooperation of counsel representing the client in any other proceeding to ensure that such representation does not prejudice the client in his capital proceedings and is conducted in a manner that best serves the clients interests in light of the capital proceedings.

5. Where counsels representation of a defendant is limited in its scope, lead counsel should ensure that the limitation is reasonable in the circumstances and obtain the clients informed consent to the limited scope of the representation. In obtaining informed consent, lead counsel should explain the exact limits of the scope of the representation, including both those purposes for which the client will and will not be represented. Where possible, the agreement to provide representation that is limited in its scope should be communicated in writing.

La. Admin. Code tit. 22, § XV-1903

Promulgated by the Office of the Governor, Public Defender Board, LR 4149 (1/1/2015).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 15:148.