In August, Steeg Law attorney Richard Traina participated at the request of the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources in an important trial in Rapides Parish flowing from Crooks v. State of La., Dept. of Nat. Res., 2019-0160 (La. 1/20/20), — So. 3d —, 2020 WL 499233.  

That significant decision upset historic understanding and held that Catahoula Lake in the central part of the state was a river, not a lake. The August trial dealt with the sole issue of determining the ordinary low water stage of the water body, an important metric that determines the extent of the riparian landowners’ property ownership.  

Richard has extensive experience in lands and natural resources litigation, mineral litigation, and coastal litigation. He was asked to participate because of his experience dealing with and cross-examining the plaintiffs’ expert witnesses in other cases.