No. 25-6506

John Wesley Patton v. Gary Westcott, Secretary, Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections, et al.

Lower Court: Louisiana
Docketed: 2026-01-07
Status: Pending
Type: IFP
Response WaivedIFP
Tags: civil-rights district-court judicial-ethics judicial-impartiality procedural-fairness recusal
Key Terms:
DueProcess HabeasCorpus
Latest Conference: 2026-02-20
Question Presented (from Petition)

Could a Louisiana District Judge, namely, Steven C. Grefer, 24th Judicial District Court, in Division "J" in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana be considered to have been impartial after the Petitioner filed a Federal Civil Rights action naming the Judge as one of the Defendant's? And the Judge continued to hear his own recusal motions and rule on the Petitioner's application for post conviction relief? Was he impartial pursuant to the US Constitution?

Could a Louisiana District Judge, namely, Steven C. Grefer, 24th Judicial District Court, in Division "J" be considered to be impartial on the rulings of the Petitioner's Louisiana State post conviction application? When several of the Claims on the State Post Conviction were against the Judge? Possibly making the Judge a witness? Can a Judge hear his own claims?

Can any Louisiana Citizen ever expect to receive a Fair Trial with the way Louisiana currently allows their District Attorney's to hand pick the Judge's assigned to their Criminal Cases? Through manipulation of Louisiana District Court Rules, Rule 14.0 Allotment of Cases?

Did the Petitioner really receive a "Fair and Impartial" Louisiana District Judge? In pre trial motions? At trial? On his post conviction?

Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether a Louisiana District Judge can be considered impartial when presiding over cases involving claims against himself and when district attorneys potentially manipulate judicial assignments

Docket Entries

2026-01-29
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/20/2026.
2026-01-22
Waiver of right of respondent Westcott, et al. to respond filed.
2025-12-10
Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due February 6, 2026)

Attorneys

John Wesley Patton
John W. Patton — Petitioner
Westcott, et al.
Darren Anthony AllemandJefferson Parish District Attorney's Office, Respondent