Judge Darryl Derbigny of New Orleans; greedy sleazebag

The state of Louisiana presented Stephen Anthony Kouri with a law license in 1978 after he graduated from Tulane University Law School.

The Louisiana Judicial Commission found Judge Derbigny guilty of the following misconduct.

It was discovered that the Judge Derbigny and his fellow jurists collectively held 249 supplemental insurance policies bankrolled by fines and fees levied on criminal convicts. (John Simerman, The Advocate)

Derbigny and his fellow ethical misfits spent more than $600,000 on bonus insurance coverage from 2009 to 2011. Derbigny personally received more than $57,000 in suspect insurance benefits.

Judge Derbigny’s Hyperbolic (BS) Defense

Derbigny’s lawyer Phillip Wittman had the chutzpah to argue that Derbigny wasn’t aware the insurance policies that he personally signed had cash-surrender values. He made this false argument despite the fact that Derbigny listed beneficiaries on all of the insurance documents.

In short, Derbigny’s primary defense is “ignorance of the law.” While this is not an acceptable defense for those appearing before Derbigny and those of his ilk, in the cases of judges it is in many instances a stepping stone to higher office.

The Judicial Commission has recommended that Derbigny receive a complimentary censure and be ordered to repay the $57,000 he improperly received from various insurance policies.

All that remains now is to see what if any punishment is meted out to Judge Derbigny by the apologists for Judicial Misfits sitting on the Louisiana Supreme Court.

As we speak (ca. October 2016) Derbigny continues to sit as an Orleans Parish Criminal District Court judge in New Orleans, Louisiana.