A federal judge has scheduled a status conference to discuss a Louisiana Supreme Court justice's bid to block her colleagues from debating and voting on whether she is entitled to become the court's next chief justice.
U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan scheduled Thursday afternoon's conference at the request of attorneys for Justice Bernette Johnson. The meeting is closed to the public.
Johnson filed suit earlier this month after Chief Justice Catherine "Kitty" Kimball set a July 31 deadline for the justices to weigh in with briefs on which colleague is the "oldest in point of service" under the terms of the Louisiana Constitution.
Johnson and Justice Jeffrey Victory both stake claims to being the court's longest-serving justice and believe they should succeed Kimball, who retires next year.