Judge vacates Caddo Parish School Board member's seat after lawsuit

Makenzie Boucher, Shreveport Times
·2 min read

Caddo Parish District Judge has declared a vacancy of office for one Caddo Parish School Board member. On June 29, Judge Brady O'Callaghan signed his judgement following the June 21 open court hearing of in the case of Barbara Smith Iverson.

On June 2, Caddo Parish District Attorney James Stewart filed a suit against Iverson for having permanent residency in Bossier Parish. The suit claimed Iverson lived in Lone Oak Oasis apartments on Benton Road in Bossier City. Her qualifying form stated 4119 Greenwood Rd., Shreveport.

Iverson's qualifying address is in District 7, where she served as a school board member.

This address is zoned as a light industrial property, prohibiting it from being used as residential. The suit stated that before Iverson qualified for office this property was deemed I-1 zoning and was used in the past as a real estate office and daycare.

According to the Caddo Parish District Attorney's Office, "Judge Callaghan determined that state law required the elected official to maintain her domicile in the district she represents, but that facts, evidence and her own statements in that regard showed she maintained her domicile in Bossier City."

More: Caddo School board member challenged on residency by Caddo DA

Barbara Smith Iverson lists her address on the qualifying form as 4119 Greenwood Rd., Shreveport, photographed on June 8, 2023.
Barbara Smith Iverson lists her address on the qualifying form as 4119 Greenwood Rd., Shreveport, photographed on June 8, 2023.

In court documents the District Attorney states:

"Ms. Iverson no longer meets the domicile requirements for two reasons. First, she has actually left her domicile by her continued residence in Bossier City and never manifested any intention to treat 4119 Greenwood as her domicile until served with this suit. Second, because 4119 Greenwood cannot be used as a residence under the Unified Development Code for the City of Shreveport."

Iverson has 10 days to vacate her seat. The judgment stated, "the officeholder no longer meets the residence or domicile requirements of his office."

According to the District Attorney's Office, Iverson can appeal the decision to the Louisiana Second Circuit Court of Appeal.

Read: Caddo Parish board member's home not boarded up in June, despite lawsuit allegations

Makenzie Boucher is a reporter with the Shreveport Times. Contact her at mboucher@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Judge vacates Caddo Parish School Board member's seat