House approves bill to limit 'judge shopping' by moving some bench‑trial waivers to random reassignment
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Summary
After intense floor debate about defendants’ rights and the perception of judge shopping, the House narrowly approved HB 310, a bill that can reassign a case when a defendant waives a jury trial; supporters say it protects fairness, critics say it shifts power toward prosecutors. Vote: 50–49.
The Louisiana House approved HB 310 after extended and often heated debate about whether defendants can use jury‑waiver rights to seek favorable judges.
Representative Rob Carlson, the bill’s sponsor, said HB 310 preserves the defendant’s constitutional right to waive a jury but adds a reassignment mechanism to reduce the appearance of ‘‘judge shopping’’ when a defendant exercises that waiver after a judge has already been assigned. Carlson said the change aims to ensure cases are decided on evidence and law, not perceived venue advantage.
Opponents argued the bill undermines defendants’ control of trial format and could shift influence to prosecutors. Representative Greg Glorioso and others warned that a defendant can have legitimate reasons to waive a jury — speed, efficiency, or strategy — and said preserving that unilateral right is critical to fairness. Representative Jordan and other speakers asked how reassignment would operate in small districts with few judges and whether the change would produce unintended consequences.
The House adopted the measure on a close recorded vote, 50 yeas to 49 nays. The bill includes provisions allowing the prosecuting authority to waive reassignment in particular cases and sets conditions for random reassignment when applicable; it applies only to criminal trials and requires at least three judges be available in a district for reassignment to occur.
