The Calogero Justice Award is named in honor of Chief Justice Pascal F. Calogero, Jr. who was elected to the Louisiana Supreme court in 1972. Calogero was sworn in as Chief Justice in 1990 and served on the Court for 36 years. At the Annual Fellows Gala the Louisiana Bar Foundation honors an individual or organization for a significant contribution to the Louisiana justice system.
Louisiana Appleseed uncovers and corrects injustices and barriers to opportunity through legal, legislative and market-based structural reform. Working with a pro bono network, they identify, research, and analyze social injustices; make specific recommendations; and advocate for effective solutions to deep-seated structural problems.
The Louisiana Public Defender Board (LPDB) was created on August 15, 2007 to serve the public, support practitioners across the criminal justice field and advocate for clients to ensure that Louisiana provides equal justice for all as guaranteed by the Constitution. It is an executive branch agency located within the Office of the Governor.
LPDB administers the Public Defender Fund, which supports all 42 judicial districts, and contracts with eight 501(c)3 non-profit organizations that provide appellate representation, capital representation at the trial level, capital post-conviction representation and representation of claims of innocence for persons serving life sentences in Louisiana.The staff and Board supervise the public defender system through on-site evaluations, intensive financial reporting requirements, relevant and accurate data collection, and monitored compliance with approved policies and performance standards. LPDB provides juvenile-dedicated staff and resources to support the specialized needs of juvenile clients and the unique practice of juvenile law. LPDB conducts a comprehensive state-wide training program, improving the quality of defense at every stage of legal proceedings.
LPDB also collaborates with a host of partners to improve public awareness of the criminal justice system, better leverage resources for clients, and provide technical support to advance the community-oriented defender model. It pursues, and administers, grant awards to achieve these objectives. LPDB represents the state of Louisiana on the national level, through participation with Department of Justice subcommittees, the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defense, the American Council of Chief Defenders, the Community Oriented Defender Network and other national criminal justice agencies/organizations.
Innocence Project New Orleans (IPNO) is a 501(c)3 non-profit law office founded in 2001. IPNO represents indigent, innocent prisoners serving life sentences in Louisiana and South Mississippi. By identifying and remedying cases and causes of wrongful conviction, IPNO raises awareness of systemic problems in the criminal justice system and promotes reforms to introduce best practices throughout the criminal process to prevent future miscarriages of justice. IPNO believes that, with simple reforms, the criminal justice system can work for every person it affects regardless of their means.
From a seed fellowship of $72,000 IPNO has grown to be the largest free-standinginnocence project in the country with one of the highest success rates, especially in tough cases that do not involve a simple DNA test. IPNO works with volunteers and students from scores of law schools and undergraduate institutions across the country and has programs at all four of Louisiana's law schools.
The Louisiana Bar Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) entity organized under the state of Louisiana.
“To report misappropriation, fraud, waste, or abuse of public funds, travel to the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s website: https://www.lla.la.gov/report-fraud”
