To all lawyers, legal workers, jailhouse lawyers, and law students working for justice.
The newest edition of the Loyola New Orleans College of Law Gillis Long Poverty Law Center desk manual was drafted during 2022-2023 after a decade-long publication hiatus. This manual is the inaugural edition of the electronic publication. Through the electronic format, the manual will be updated more regularly as an on-line resource. As with the prior hard copy version, this electronic manual is designed to be a practical guide for those working to try to make “justice for all” a reality in Louisiana. These chapters are not intended to be exhaustive studies of any substantive area of law or give legal advice.
The Gillis W. Long Poverty Law Center was established at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law in 1985. Congress appropriated funds to honor the memory of Louisiana Representative Gillis W. Long, who was known for his advocacy for the disadvantaged. This manual is the sixth cooperative effort of Loyola and legal services and pro bono lawyers in Louisiana. Earlier editions were published in 1986, 1993, 2001, 2005 and 2013.
Thanks to the authors who gave generously of their time to share their expertise. Special thanks to the former Director of the Gillis Long Poverty Law Center, William P. Quigley, who built the strong foundation that continues to support the Center’s work. We remember Mark Moreau, the longtime director of Southeast Louisiana Legal Services who made the vision for this manual a reality. We are also grateful to David Williams who, alongside Mark was instrumental in developing this manual and inspires us as a life-long legal services attorney. We recognize with admiration the Southeast Louisiana Legal Services Executive Director, Laura Tuggle, and the many legal services attorneys who champion justice every day. Patrick Murphree, Editor, deserves our appreciation for his outstanding, creative, justice-focused work that facilitated the development and publication of this manual. Christina Luwisch, Associate Director of the Gillis Long Poverty Law Center, supports everything that the Center accomplishes, and we gratefully recognize her here for her constant excellence. And finally, thanks to the College of Law administration and others in the Loyola New Orleans community—faculty, staff and students—who work to increase justice in many different ways.
Davida Finger, Director - Gillis W. Long Poverty Law Center