Terry Porche, and Naomi Porche v. Adam Naquin, Tri Region Women's Carnival Club, Inc. and State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company ( 2022 )

STATE OF LOUISIANA
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COURT OF APPEAL
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FIRST CIRCUIT
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2021 CA 0689
TERRY PORCHE AND NAOMI PORCHE
VERSUS
ADAM NAQUIN, TRI REGION WOMEN' S
CARNIVAL CLUB, INC., AND STATE FARM MUTUAL
AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
JUDGMENT RENDERED: NOV2 9 2022
Appealed from
The Thirty -Second Judicial District Court
Parish of Terrebonne • State of Louisiana
Docket Number 182947 • Division D
The Honorable David W. Arceneaux, Presiding Judge
David C. Pellegrin, Jr. COUNSEL FOR APPELLANTS
Huntington B. Downer, Jr. PLAINTIFFS Terry Porche and
Joseph L. Waitz, III Naomi Porche
Mary W. Riviere
Ellen D. Doskey
Houma, Louisiana
Jerry W. Sullivan COUNSEL FOR APPELLEES
Metairie, Louisiana DEFENDANTS -- Tri Region Women' s
Carnival Club, Inc., a/ k/ a the Krewe
of Aquarius, and Certain
Underwriters at Lloyd' s London
BEFORE: GuIDRY, WELCH, PENZATO, ZANIER, AND HESTER, JJ.
3, kSiCJS MAA a55 gnS reA. SarlS
1
WELCH, J.
This personal injury suit arises out of injuries allegedly resulting from an
accident that occurred during a procession prior to the 2018 Mardi Gras parades of
the Krewe of Hyacinthians and Krewe of Aquarius. Plaintiffs Terry and Naomi
Porche filed suit against the Tri Region Women' s Carnival Club, Inc. ( referred to
as the " Krewe of Aquarius") and its insurer, among other defendants. After
conducting discovery, the Krewe of Aquarius and its insurer filed a motion for
summary judgment asserting immunity under La. R.S. 9. 2796, the Mardi Gras
immunity statute. From the trial court' s ruling granting the Krewe of Aquarius and
its insurer' s motion for summary judgment, the plaintiffs now appeal. We affirm.
FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY
The plaintiffs filed suit against defendants Adam Naquin, the Krewe of
t
Aquarius, and State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, seeking
damages for injuries allegedly sustained by Mr. Porche in a vehicle accident
between him and Mr. Naquin. The alleged accident occurred on February 14, 2018,
while Mr. Porche— a member of the Houma Shriners Club ( the " Shriners")
motorcycle unit— escorted the court and members of the Krewe of Hyacinthians in
a procession along Louisiana Highway 24 to the parade staging area at the
Southland Mall in Houma, Louisiana, the starting point of the two Mardi Gras
parades.
Prior to the procession, a safety meeting was held with the processional
drivers, who were instructed to drive in a single -file line directly behind one
another to prevent any non -processional vehicles from entering the procession. The
procession consisted of vehicles transporting the court and members of the Krewe
of Hyacinthians, followed directly by a limousine transporting members of the
The plaintiffs alleged that State Farm issued an automobile liability policy that provided
coverage for Mr. Naquin' s vehicle.
2
Krewe of Aquarius, whose parade was scheduled to roll directly behind the Krewe
of Hyacinthians parade.
The Shriners escorted the procession to the parade staging area on their
motorcycles by traveling on the left side of the procession to block incoming traffic
from side streets. Once the entire procession passed a side street blocked by a
Shriner, that Shriner would travel ahead of the procession on his motorcycle to the
next unblocked side street. The Shriners repeated this process until the entire
procession reached the parade staging area.
The plaintiffs alleged that the " driver of the vehicle leading the Krewe of
Aquarius"— alleged to be operating within the course and scope of his " duties" for
the Krewe of Aquarius and who was an " agent and/ or employee" of the Krewe of
Aquarius ---failed to stay directly behind the last vehicle in the Krewe of
Hyacinthians procession. This failure to adhere to the driver safety instructions
created a " large gap" between the two krewes, allowing the vehicle driven by Mr.
Naquin to enter the " large gap" and drive between the two krewes. When Mr.
Naquin attempted to make a turn in order to exit the procession, his vehicle
collided with the Shriners motorcycle driven by Mr. Porche, causing injuries to Mr.
Porche. The plaintiffs alleged that the defendants were liable for general damages,
medical expenses, loss of income, loss of consortium, and property damage.
In supplemental and amending petitions, the plaintiffs added as defendants:
Ladies Carnival Club, Inc. ( referred to as the " Krewe of Hyacinthians"); Certain
Underwriters at Lloyd' s London, the liability insurer for the two krewes; and
processional driver Darrell Charpentier and his insurer, National Continental
Insurance Company.
The plaintiffs made the same allegations and prayed for the same damages
against the Krewe of Hyacinthians as were made against the Krewe of Aquarius—
namely, that the drivers for the Krewe of Hyacinthians attended the pre -
3
processional safety meeting; that its drivers failed to follow safety instructions and
allowed a gap to form between the two processions; and that its drivers were
operating within the course and scope of their " duties" for the Krewe of
Hyacinthians and were " agents and/ or employees" of the Krewe of Hyacinthians.
The plaintiffs alleged that Mr. Charpentier was " the driver of the vehicle
leading the Krewe of Aquarius" who played a part in allowing the Iarge gap to
form between the two krewes.' The plaintiffs alleged that the two krewes were
liable for the negligent acts of their processional drivers, as agents and/ or
employees of the krewes, through the doctrine of respondeat superior.
The Krewe of Aquarius and its insurer filed a motion for summary
judgment, arguing that the statutory immunity provided by the Mardi Gras
immunity statute, La. R.S. 9: 2796, applied to the plaintiffs' claims against the
Krewe of Aquarius. The version of La. R.S. 9: 2796 applicable to this matter3
provides that " no person shall have a cause of action against any krewe ... or any
member thereof, which presents Mardi Gras parades, ... for any loss or damage
caused by any member thereof, during or in conjunction with or related to the
parades ... ." However, the statute does not provide immunity for krewes or its
members if "said loss or damage was caused by the deliberate and wanton act or
gross negligence of the krewe ... or any member thereof ...." Furthermore, the
statute does not provide immunity if "said member was operating a motor vehicle
within the parade ... and was a compensated employee of the krewe ...."
The Krewe of Aquarius argued that while the limousine transporting
members of its krewe down Louisiana Highway 24 to the parade staging area at the
Southland Mall was an event " related to" the Krewe of Aquarius parade that rolled
2 The plaintiffs also alleged that Darrell Charpentier drove a vehicle for " the Krewe of Aquarius
and/ or] the Krewe of Hyacinthians."
s Since the rendition of the judgment on appeal, the Louisiana Legislature amended La. R.S.
9: 2796. See 2022 La. Acts No. 740 § 1 ( eff. Aug. 1, 2022). However, the recent amendments to
the Mardi Gras immunity statute are not applicable to this matter.
4
later that day, the vehicle driven by Mr. Charpentier was not a part of the Krewe of
Aquarius, nor its parade. Further, the Krewe of Aquarius argued that Mr.
Charpentier was not a member of the Krewe of Aquarius, nor was he a
compensated employee thereof. The Krewe of Aquarius argued that no member or
compensated employee of its krewe negligently operated a motor vehicle within a
Krewe of Aquarius procession, nor did the Krewe of Aquarius or any member
thereof engage in any " deliberate and wanton act" or " gross negligence."
The plaintiffs opposed the motion, arguing that there were genuine issues of
material fact surrounding the involvement of the Krewe of Aquarius in the
procession and the krewe' s liability for Mr. Porche' s accident. Following a
hearing, the trial court granted summary judgment in favor of the Krewe of
Aquarius and its insurer, dismissing the plaintiffs' claims against those defendants
based on the Mardi Gras immunity statute, La. R. S. 9: 2796. The trial court signed a
judgment in accordance with its ruling on October 29, 2021, which the plaintiffs
now appeal. t
SUMMARY JUDGMENT
Appellate courts review summary judgments de novo, using the same criteria
that govern the trial court' s consideration of whether summary judgment is
appropriate. Carman v. Livers, 2021- 0701 ( La. App. I" Cir. 416122), 341 So. 3d
749, 757, writ denied, 2022- 00753 ( La. 9120122), 346 So. 3d 290. That is, after an
opportunity for adequate discovery, summary judgment shall be granted if the
4 The trial court signed a judgment in accordance with its oral ruling on April 8, 2021. The
plaintiffs timely filed a motion for devolutive appeal on April 14, 2021. The trial court signed an
order of appeal on April 19, 2021, notice of which was transmitted by the Clerk of Court to the
parties on April 21, 2021.
Once the appeal was lodged, this court discovered an apparent defect in the trial court' s April 8,
2021 judgment and issued an interim order remanding the matter for the limited purpose of
instructing the trial court to sign an amended judgment. See La. C. C. F. art. 2088( A)( 12). It
appears that the trial court' s April 8, 2021 judgment lacked decretal language. While the
judgment granted the motion for summary judgment filed by the Krewe of Aquarius and its
insurer, it failed to indicate what that relief entailed. Thereafter, the Clerk of Court for the Thirty -
Second Judicial District Court supplemented the record on appeal with an amended judgment
signed on October 29, 2021, which cured the apparent defect.
5
motion, memorandum, and supporting documents show that there is no genuine
issue as to material fact and that the mover is entitled to judgment as a matter of
law. La. C. C. P. art. 966( A)(3).
The burden of proof on a motion for summary judgment rests with the
mover. La. C. C. P. art. 966( D)( 1). If the mover will not bear the burden of proof at
trial on the issue that is before the court on the motion for summary judgment, the
mover' s burden on the motion does not require him to negate all essential elements
of the adverse party' s claim, action, or defense. Rather, the mover must point out
to the court the absence of factual support for one or more elements essential to the
adverse party' s claim, action, or defense. The burden is on the adverse party to
produce factual support sufficient to establish the existence of a genuine issue of
material fact or that the mover is not entitled to judgment as a matter of law. La.
C. C. P. art. 966( D)( 1). If the non-moving party fails to do so, there is no genuine
issue of material fact and summary judgment will be granted. Carman, 341 So.3d
at 757.
In ruling on a motion for summary judgment, the court' s role is not to
evaluate the weight of the evidence or to make a credibility determination, but
instead to determine whether or not there is a genuine issue of material fact. Van
Cleave v. Temple, 2018- 1353, 2018- 1354 ( La. App. I" Cir. 5/ 31/ 19), 278 So. 3d
1005, 1011 ( citing Hines v. Garrett, 2004- 0806 ( La. 6125104), 876 So. 2d 764, 765
per curiam)). A genuine issue is one as to which reasonable persons could
disagree. However, if reasonable persons could reach only one conclusion, there is
no need for trial on that issue and summary judgment is appropriate. Campbell v.
Dolgencorp, LLC, 2019- 0036 ( La. App. I" Cir. 1/ 9120), 294 So. 3d 522, 526
citing Jackson v. City of New Orleans, 2012- 2742 ( La. 1128114), 144 So. 3d 876,
882, cert. denied, 574 U.S. 869, 135 S. Ct. 197, 190 L. Ed.2d 130 ( 2014)). Material
facts are those that potentially insure or preclude recovery, affect the litigant' s
2
success, or determine the outcome of a legal dispute. In other words, a fact is
material" when its existence or nonexistence is essential to the plaintiffs cause of
action under the applicable theory of recovery. Primeaux v. Best Western Plus
Houma Inn, 2018- 0841 ( La. App. 1St Cir. 2128119), 274 So. 3d 20, 27. Any doubt
as to a dispute regarding an issue of material fact must be resolved against granting
the motion and in favor of a trial on the merits. Primeaux, 274 So. 3d at 27.
Because it is the applicable substantive law that determines materiality, whether a
particular fact in dispute is material can be seen only in light of the substantive law
applicable to the case. Georgia- Pacific Consumer Operations, LLC v. City of
Baton Rouge, 2017- 1553, 2017- 1554 ( La. App. 1st Cir. 7118118), 255 So. 3d 16,
22, writ denied, 2018- 1397 ( La. 1213118), 257 So. 3d 194.
LAW AND DISCUSSION
The Krewe of Aquarius and its insurer sought summary judgment on the
basis of immunity pursuant to the Mardi Gras immunity statute, La. R.S. 9: 2796.
The version of La. R.S. 9: 2796 applicable to this matter,' provides in pertinent
part:
A. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, no
person shall have a cause of action against any krewe
or any group traditionally referred to as
organization,
Courir de Mardi Gras, or any member- thereof, which
presents Mardi Gras parades,
including traditional
rural Mardi Gras parades, processions, or runs in which
participants ride on horseback, march, walk, or ride on
horse- drawn or motordrawn floats, or wheeled beds, or
other parades, whether held on a public or private street
or waterway, or in a building or other structure, or any
combination thereof, connected with pre -Lenten
festivities or the Holiday in Dixie Parade, or against any
nonprofit organization chartered under the laws of this
state, or any member thereof, which sponsors fairs or
festivals that present parades or courirs, for any loss or
damage caused by any member thereof, during or in
conjunction with or related to the parades or courirs
presented by such krewe or organization, unless said loss
or damage was caused by the deliberate and wanton act
5 See FN 3, supra.
7
or gross negligence of the krewe or organization, or
any member thereof as the case may be, or unless said
member was operating a motor vehicle within the
parade or festival and was a compensated employee of
the krewe, organization, or courin The provisions of this
Section shall not be intended to limit the liability of a
compensated employee of such krewe or organization for
his individual acts of negligence. [ Emphasis added.]
The rules of statutory interpretation provide that a law must be applied as
written if it is clear and unambiguous and its application does not lead to absurd
consequences; with regard to such laws, no further interpretation may be made in
search of the intent of the legislature. La. C. C. art. 9; Medine v. Geico General
Ins. Co., 97- 2393, 97- 2775- 2778 ( La. App. 4th Cir. 11117199), 748 So. 2d 532, 535,
writ denied, 99- 3556 ( La. 2111100), 754 So. 2d 945. Statutes such as La. R. S.
9: 2796, that grant immunities or advantages to special classes in derogation of the
general rights available to tort victims, must be strictly construed against the party
claiming the immunity or advantage. Medine, 748 So. 2d at 535.
Louisiana courts, including this court, have held that the expansive language
in La. R. S. 9: 2796 covers a broad spectrum of risks and losses associated with
parading" and " traditional parade activities," i.e., activities that occur " during or
in conjunction with or related to the parades ... presented by such krewe ... or any
member thereof ...." La. R.S. 9: 2796( A); see also Porche v. Naquin, 2022- 0064
La. App. 1st Cir. 9126122), So. 3d , 2022 WL 4476322, at * 4; Binkley
v. Landry, 2000- 1710 ( La. App. 1St Cir. 9128101), 811 So. 2d 18, 22, writ denied,
2001- 2934 ( La. 318102), 811 So. 2d 887; Foshee v. Louisiana Farm Bureau Cas.
Ins. Co., 41, 842 ( La. App. 2nd Cir, 1131107), 948 So.2d 1171, 1176, writ denied,
2007- 0483 ( La. 4/ 20/ 07), 954 So. 2d 169; Medine, 748 So. 2d at 535- 36; Gardner
v. Zulu Soc. Aid & Pleasure Club, Inc., 98- 1040 ( La. App. 4" Cir. 2110199), 729
So. 2d 675, 678, writ denied, 99- 0697 ( La. 517199), 740 So. 2d 1285.
8
At the time of Mr. Porche' s accident, La. R.S. 9: 2796( A) contained only two
exceptions to the statutory grant of immunity to Mardi Gras krewes and their
members: 1) if the loss or damage was caused by the " deliberate and wanton act"
or " gross negligence" of the krewe or any member thereof; or 2) if the loss or
damage was caused by a compensated krewe member operating a motor vehicle
within the parade. The plaintiffs did not make any allegations that the Krewe of
Aquarius or any member thereof engaged in a " deliberate and wanton act" or
gross negligence" that caused the plaintiffs to suffer loss or damage; accordingly,
we focus on the second exception to the grant of statutory immunity under La. R.S.
9: 2796( A): whether the plaintiffs' loss or damage was caused by a compensated
member of the Krewe of Aquarius who operated a motor vehicle within a parade
presented by the Krewe of Aquarius. We note that Mr. Charpentier was the only
processional driver named as a defendant by the plaintiffs.
In support of their motion for summary judgment, the Krewe of Aquarius
and its insurer submitted several depositions and affidavits. The evidence shows
that the February 4, 2018 procession was organized for the purpose of transporting
the 2018 queen of the Krewe of Hyacinthians, Charlotta Herques, her husband and
2018 king of the Krewe of Hyacinthians, Anthony " Tony" Herques, Jr., and the
Krewe of Hyacinthians court to the parade staging area for the krewe' s 2018
parade. The Krewe of Hyacinthians contracted the Shriners to escort the
procession.
There is no dispute that due to a " rain -out" and " unsuitable weather," the
2018 Krewe of Aquarius Mardi Gras parade was rescheduled to roll on February 4,
2018 " behind the parade sponsored by the [ Krewe ofJ Hyacinthians ...." Leslie S.
Breaux, who served as the 2018 queen of the Krewe of Aquarius, stated that the
Krewe of Aquarius " is a Louisiana non-profit corporation organized for the
Ms.
purpose of providing a carnival parade to the residents of Terrebonne Parish."
Z
Breaux attested that she rented a limousine at her own expense to transport herself
and other members of the Krewe of Aquarius court to the parade staging area for
the Krewe of Aquarius parade. She indicated that her limousine followed " the
Hyacinthians court procession to the [ parade] staging area." The Krewe of
Aquarius was not a part of the Krewe of Hyacinthians procession, did not
participate in the procession, and did not secure the services of the Shriners to
escort the limousine to the parade staging area.
The evidence shows that prior to the accident, Mr. Naquin' s vehicle entered
the procession behind a vehicle driven by Nicholas Hebert and in front of a vehicle
driven by Mr. Charpentier as the procession traveled down Louisiana Highway 24.
Nicholas Hebert testified that he is a paid " agent" and " contract worker"
who worked for the Krewe of Hyacinthians in 2018, and had no affiliation with
any other krewe. Mr. Hebert stated that normally in a Krewe of Hyacinthians
procession, the king and queen lead the procession in a limousine, followed by the
captains and maids, and that he is always located at the end of the procession.
During the February 4, 2018 procession, a school bus that had been converted into
a " Mardi Gras bus" was driving immediately behind Mr. Hebert' s SW; however,
Mr. Hebert stated that the bus was not a part of the Krewe of Hyacinthians
procession. At some point during the procession, Mr. Hebert became aware that
another vehicle ( a truck), purportedly driven by Mr. Naquin, entered the procession
behind his vehicle and in front of the bus.
Darrell Charpentier testified that he was the driver of a " party bus" that was
owned by his brother. Mr. Charpentier stated that although he was not involved in
the contracting for the rental of his brother' s bus, he indicated the bus would have
been rented by a float captain. Mr. Charpentier testified he was unsure whether he
was transporting members of the Krewe of Hyacinthians or the Krewe of Aquarius
in the bus to the parade staging area on the day of the incident; he could not
10
remember the name of the float captain who rented the bus. The evidence shows
that the bus driven by Mr. Charpentier was transporting float riders of a Krewe of
Hyacinthians float that was usually ridden by Ms. Herques ( when she was not
acting as the 2018 queen of the Krewe of Hyacinthians). Mr. Charpentier' s
testimony confirms that on the day of the incident, he was transporting float riders
on the bus.
Mr. Charpentier testified that he arrived late to the civic center and received
a safety briefing from Alvin Dupre, the captain of the Shriners motorcycle unit in
2018. Mr. Charpentier recalled that he was approached by a man driving an SUV
i.e., Mr. Hebert), who indicated that he would be driving immediately in front of
Mr. Charpentier. Mr. Charpentier testified that at some point in the procession, a
gap formed when Mr. Hebert' s SUV sped up, and a black truck— purportedly
driven by Mr. Naquin— entered the procession between Mr. Hebert' s SUV and Mr.
Charpentier' s bus.
It is undisputed that the Krewe of Aquarius is a domestic, nonprofit
corporation authorized to do business in the State of Louisiana and organized for
the purpose of presenting Mardi Gras parades to the residents of Terrebonne
Parish. It is further undisputed that the Krewe of Aquarius' s 2018 Mardi Gras
parade was rescheduled and rolled on February 4, 2019. Louisiana Revised
Statutes 9: 2796( A), at the time of Mr. Porche' s accident, provided a limitation of
liability to Mardi Gras krewes and krewe members for damage and injury caused
by the krewe or any member thereof during events in " conjunction with or related
to the parades." In the instant appeal, the Krewe of Aquarius is the defendant, and
as such, is shielded from liability for Mr. Porche' s injuries, which occurred " during
or in conjunction with or related to" the parade presented by the Krewe of
Aquarius and its members. See La. R.S. 9: 2796( A); see also Porche, 2022 WL
114476322, at * 4; Binkley, 811 So. 2d at 22; Foshee, 948 So. 2d at 1176; Medine,
748 So. 2d at 535- 36; Gardner, 729 So.2d at 678.
Furthermore, the accident occurred between Mr. Hebert' s position at the end
of the Krewe of Hyacinthians procession and before Mr. Charpentier' s position.
The immunity provided for in La. R. S. 9: 2796( A) does not extend to compensated
employees of Mardi Gras krewes, only to voluntary, non -compensated members of
Mardi Gras krewes. See Foshee, 948 So. 2d at 1177. Neither Mr. Hebert nor Mr.
Charpentier are members of the Krewe of Aquarius. It is also undisputed that
neither Mr. Hebert nor Mr. Charpentier are compensated employees of the Krewe
of Aquarius who operated a motor vehicle within a parade presented by the Krewe
of Aquarius.'
We find that the trial court was correct in finding that there was no genuine
issue of material fact that the Krewe of Aquarius is shielded from liability for Mr.
Porche' s injuries pursuant to La. R.S. 9: 2796( A). For these reasons, summary
judgment was properly granted.
DECREE
We affirm the trial court' s October 29, 2021 judgment that granted summary
judgment in favor of the defendants, the Tri Region Women' s Carnival Club, Inc.,
referred to as the Krewe of Aquarius, and Certain Underwriters at Lloyd' s London,
and which dismissed the claims of the plaintiffs, Terry Porche and Naomi Porche,
against those defendants with prejudice. All costs of this appeal are assessed
against the plaintiffs, Terry Porche and Naomi Porche.
AFFIRMED.
b We note that the plaintiffs did not name Mr. Hebert, a compensated employee of the Krewe of
Hyacinthians, as a defendant.
12
STATE OF LOUISIANA
COURT OF APPEAL
FIRST CIRCUIT
NO. 2021 CA 0659
TERRY PORCHE AND NAOMI PORCHE
VERSUS
ADAM NAQUIN, TRI REGION WOMEN' S CARNIVAL CLUB, INC.
AND STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE
COMPANY
HESTER, d., dissenting.
I respectfully dissent. In order to meet their burden to provide proof
establishing their entitlement to invoke statutory immunity under the applicable
version of La. R. S. 9: 2796, movers, Tri Region Women' s Carnival Club, Inc.
Krewe of Aquarius") and its insurer, were required to establish that the Krewe of
Aquarius was a krewe or organization which presents Mardi Gras parades; that the
loss or damage ( caused by a member of the krewe or organization) was sustained
during or in conjunction with or related to the parade presented by such krewe or
organization; that the loss or damage was not caused by the deliberate and wanton
acts or gross negligence of the krewe or organization nor any member thereof; and
that the member involved was not a compensated member of the krewe operating a
motor vehicle within the parade, if applicable. See La. R.S 9: 2796( A). Movers did
not present evidence in support of the motion for summary judgment to show that
Mr. Porche' s injuries or loss occurred during or in conjunction with a parade or
procession presented by the Krewe of Aquarius. Rather, the evidence only
definitively established that the Krewe of Hyacinthians sponsored the parade on
February 4, 2018, and the Krewe of Hyacinthians had a procession. I find that the
evidence is disputed as to whether the Krewe of Aquarius was participating in its
own sponsored procession at the time of the accident.
Because immunity statutes must be strictly construed against the party
claiming the immunity, Aucoin v. Larpenter, 2020- 0792 ( La. App. 1st Cir.
4116121), 324 So. 3d 626, 634, writ denied, 2021- 00688 ( La. 9127121), 324 So. 3d 87,
and factual inferences reasonably drawn from the evidence must be construed in
favor of the party opposing the motion, Macro Companies, Inc. v. Dearybury Oil
Gas, Inc., 2021- 00483 ( La. 6129121), 319 So. 3d 286, 287 ( per curiam) ( citin
Willis v. Medders, 2000- 2507 ( La. 12! 8100), 775 So. 2d 1049, 1050 ( per curiam)), I
find that the Krewe of Aquarius and its insurer failed to carry their burden of proof
as movers urging the application of the immunity provided in La. R.S. 9: 2796( A),
and the burden never shifted to Plaintiffs. See Aucoin, 324 So. 3d at 632.
Accordingly, I find that the trial court erred in granting the motion for summary
judgment filed by the Krewe of Aquarius and its insurer and would pretermit any
determination as to the applicability of any exemptions provided in the statute.
2