Louisiana Revised Statutes 15:1405.1 – Civil cause of action by state and political subdivisions against criminal street gangs
Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes 15:1405.1
- criminal street gang: means any ongoing organization, association, or group of three or more persons, whether formal or informal, which has as one of its primary activities the commission of one or more of the criminal acts enumerated in Paragraphs (1) through (13) of Subsection B of this Section or which has a common name or common identifying sign or symbol, whose members individually or collectively engage in or have engaged in a pattern of criminal gang activity. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 15:1404
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
- pattern of criminal gang activity: means the commission or attempted commission of two or more of the following offenses, provided that the offenses occurred within a three-year period, and the offenses are committed on separate occasions or by two or more persons:
(1) Aggravated battery or second degree battery as defined in Louisiana Revised Statutes 15:1404
- person: includes a body of persons, whether incorporated or not. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 1:10
- Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
- Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
A. A civil cause of action is hereby created in favor of the state of Louisiana, a parish, or municipality or other political subdivision, or an agency of any of them, sustaining any damage, impairment, or harm whatsoever, proximately caused by the commission of a pattern of criminal gang activity as defined in this Chapter. The cause of action created by this Section shall lie against any criminal street gang, as defined in this Chapter, and any person who intentionally directs, participates, conducts, furthers, or assists in the commission of a pattern of criminal gang activity.
B. Any action for injunction, damages, or other relief filed pursuant to this Section shall proceed according to the provisions of the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure, except as otherwise specifically provided in this Section.
C. For purposes of venue, an action under this Section shall be considered as an action for the recovery of damages for an offense or quasi offense, and Code of Civil Procedure Article 74 is applicable. For purposes of service of process, service of process upon any member of a criminal street gang or any person representing him by appointment of court, operation of law, or mandate, shall constitute adequate service upon a criminal street gang.
Acts 1993, No. 76, §1.