Attorneys for Shreveport Mayor to appeals judges: your opinion was wrong on precedence

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Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins appeared in the Second Circuit Court of Appeal Friday morning to stand before a trio of judges who can decide if he is to be reinstated into the 2022 elections.

Attorney Scott Bickford for Perkins argued the statute used by the trial court to disqualify Perkins does not contain a punishment.

Bickford also said no official ruled Perkins’ voter registration was revoked and therefore the possibility that his registration was improper should not have yet been a reason for revoking his candidacy.

Tuesday, Perkins was determined by Caddo Parish Judge Brady O’Callaghan to have violated a Louisiana statu requiring voters to register to vote under their address with an homestead exemption if they have one, which is grounds for disqualifying a candidate from election.

“He was still a qualified electorate and should’ve still been a candidate for mayor until someone revoked his voting rights,” Bickford argued Friday.

Bickford told the panel of judges he believes O’Callaghan was “tortured” by the decision on Sellars vs. Nance, a decision made by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and referenced as precedence for the decision made by O’Callaghan.

“You may be wrong on a number of issues on Sellars,” Bickford told the judges Friday.

“This case isn’t bound by Sellars because it is distinguishable from this case,” Bickford added.

The judges have 24 hours after the hearing closes to file a decision. Because the hearing ended at 11:39 and the court is closed on weekends, the judges said a decision may not come until Monday.

Kendrick Dante writes for the USA Today Network and is a government watchdog reporter in Shreveport, Louisiana. He enjoys cooking, concerts, and content. Email him at kdbrown1@gannett.com or connect on Twitter @kendrickdante.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Attorneys for Shreveport mayor argues appeals court misinterpreted law