Lafourche courthouse back in business

It’s home sweet home for District Judge Hugh “Buddy” Larose. The 17th Judicial District judge finally returned to his chambers and courtroom this week, after sharing court with the four other parish judges for more than a year.

“I am absolutely ready to be back in my own courtroom,” Larose said. “It’s something about being comfortable, being able to move around and have your own space.”

Lafourche Parish officials closed the historic courthouse, occupied by Larose, Chief Judge John LeBlanc and Walter Lanier III, in September 2008 shortly after Hurricane Gustav ravaged Thibodaux.

The courthouse was shut down because of a mold-like substance that progressively grew inside of the building. Due to the extremities of the infestation, several walls in the courthouse had to be gutted, causing interior damage. Parish-hired architect Richard Weimer redesigned the interior of the building.

The last time the 140-year-old structure was shut down to this capacity – as best as historians can figure – was in 1903 when the building was remodeled. Engineers and contractors moved the courthouse entrance, which faced Bayou Lafourche, toward Green Street, adding five square-domed roof structures and a portico.

“When we came back from Gustav, the damage was not that bad,” Lanier said. “We thought it was just a lot of water damage. But, when I saw something that looked like mold in my office, I asked one of the parish maintenance guys and they said the FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) representative would be in the next day.

“The next day, the mold had grown excessively,” he added. “They immediately closed the courthouse, and the shuffling began.”

The carpet and furniture in the courtrooms and judge’s chambers were removed from the building because of the infestation.

Mother Duct Environmental Care of New Orleans was hired by the parish to perform the mold remediation. The courthouse closure lasted three months.

The judge’s chambers were moved to the old Lafourche Parish District Attorney’s Office building during the mold remediation. Court dates were rescheduled for just two courtrooms in the Courthouse Annex next door, which are occupied by district judges Jerome Barbera III and Bruce Simpson.

“Five courts operating out of two courtrooms was a test for all of us,” Lanier said. “Things weren’t terrible, but they weren’t easy either. We had to temporarily suspend our civil docket just to keep our criminal cases current.”

While Weimer was still renovating the building, Lanier and LeBlanc were able to move back into their chambers and resume their regular court schedule in December 2008. Their offices, however, were missing carpet, chairs and ceiling tiles.

“There was nothing major that would prohibit us from doing our job,” Lanier said. “The hardest thing was for the staff because they were used to being in the office. They knew they had to work out of the old district attorney office.”

Unfortunately, Larose’s courtroom experienced the most damage. His ceiling, floors and furniture all had to be replaced. Larose used the closure as an opportunity to modify his chambers. He had an 8-foot wall constructed from the jury room leading to the courtroom, ensuring jurors are able to move within a secured area.

When he needed to hold court, Larose said the other four judges gave up their courtrooms he said.

“We all worked together to get the job done,” Larose said. “Things were complicated, but they worked out.”

“All the credit goes to my staff,” Larose said. “They never complained even though they had to work under adverse conditions.”

Leo Bradley, of Thibodaux, installs a desktop in Judge Hugh “Buddy” Larose’s courtroom. Damage caused by Hurricane Gustav forced the partial closure of the courthouse while extensive repairs were made. * Photo by KYLE CARRIER