XII § 3 Certificate Contents

When a lower court asks the Louisiana Supreme Court to answer a legal question, it must send a written certificate. This rule explains what that certificate needs to include.

First, the certificate must list the name of the case, just like it would appear on any court document. Next, it must explain the facts of the case. This means giving a clear picture of what happened and why the legal question came up in the first place.

Finally, the certificate must clearly state the actual legal question or questions the court wants answered. The Supreme Court needs enough background information to understand the situation, but the main point is to identify exactly what legal issue needs to be resolved. Without clear facts and a clear question, the Supreme Court would not have enough information to give a useful answer.