Russell J. Stutes, Jr. ("Rusty") is the managing partner of Stutes & Lavergne law firm. Rusty attended Louisiana State University, where he received both an undergraduate degree in Accounting and his J.D. Upon his graduation from law school, he attended the University of Florida Law School, where he received his LL.M. in taxation, finishing second in his class. While in law school, Rusty served as Chairman of the Moot Court Board.

 

In law school, Rusty was on Chancellor’s List multiple semesters, was the recipient of two American Jurisprudence Awards, as well as the Tullis-Herget Scholarship, which is given for academic excellence, and graduated in the top 11% of his class. At the University of Florida, Rusty served as a graduate assistant on the Florida Tax Law Review and as an aide to Professor Steven J. Willis.

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Rusty has been honored by The Times of Lake Charles as being a member of its prestigious 40 Community Leaders Under 40. Rusty is also a fellow to the Louisiana Bar Foundation and has served twice as the Secretary/Treasurer of the Southwest Louisiana Bar Association. He served as the 1999-2000 Chair of the Louisiana Bar Association Young Lawyers Division. Since 1995, Rusty has lectured as an Adjunct Professor of Business and Tax Law at McNeese State University and beginning in 2016 as Adjunct Professor of State and Local Taxation at Louisiana State University's Paul M. Hebert Law Center. He is a frequent lecturer on tax and estate planning topics at seminars throughout Louisiana. In 2012, Rusty endowed the Stutes-Kalinka Moot Court team at Louisiana State University's Paul M. Hebert Law Center.

 

Rusty is a life-long member of Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic parish, the past Chair of the St. Louis Catholic High School Board, and the past Chair of The Christus St. Patrick Hospital Board of Directors.

 

Rusty maintains an extensive business, tax, estate planning, estate administration, expropriation and commercial office practice.  Of particular importance to all such clients, Rusty has litigated to successful verdict in excess of 100 bench and jury trials ranging into all of areas of his practice.  Rusty is board certified in tax law and estate planning and administration and has been honored by inclusion in the prestigious "Super Lawyers" and "Best Lawyers in America" in the field of taxation.​​

 

Bar Admissions

• Louisiana, 1991

 

Education

• University of Florida College of Law, Gainesville, Florida

  • LL.M. - 1992

  • Honors: Graduated second in class

  • Honors: Graduate Assistant on the Florida Tax Law Review in 1991

  • Major: Taxation

• Louisiana State University Law Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

  • J.D. - 1991

  • Honors: With Honors

  • Honors: Chairman of the Moot Court Board (1990-1991)

  • Honors: Two American Jurisprudence Awards

• Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

  • B.S. - 1987

  • Major: Accounting

 

Published Works

• Graduate Assistant, Florida Tax Law Review, 1991

 

Representative Cases

• Pinnacle Polymers, LLC v. St. John the Baptist Parish Sales & Use Tax Office, 19-310 (La. App. 5th Cir. 3/24/21), 316 So. 3d 1264, writ denied, 318 So. 3d 708 (6/22/21).

• Iberia Fin. Servs., LLC v. Mitchell, 19-413 (La. 3rd. Cir. 6/17/20), 299 So. 3d 195

• State v. Dell Intern., Inc., 2004-1702 (La. App. 1s Cir. 2/15/06), 922 So. 2d 1257

• Ryan v. Calcasieu Par. Police Jury, 17-16 (La. App. 3 Cir. 9/26/2018), 256 So. 3d 1044

• Succession of Heyd, 18-385 (La. App. 3 Cir. 12/6/2018), 2018 WL 6378357

• Duncan Oil, Inc. v. Calcasieu Parish Sch. Bd. 17-488 (La. App. 3 Cir. 2/28/18), 239 So. 3d 367

• Crowe v. Bio-Medical Appliation of La., LLC, 2014-CA-0917 (La. App. 1 Cir. 2/17/17), 241 So. 3d 328

• ERA Helicopters, LLC v. Amegin, 15-753 (La. App. 3 Cir. 12/9/2015), 181 So. 3d 241

• Petitjean v. Hibernia Nat’l Bank of Lake Charles, 08-1081 (La. App. 3 Cir. 3/4/2009), 3 So. 3d 92

• Stine, LLC v. United States ex. rel. IRS, 2:13-03224 (W.D. La. 1/27/2015), 2015 WL 403146

• Sch. Bd. of St. Charles v. Shell Oil Co., 04-2511 (E.D. La. 4/10/2008), 2008 WL 1730095

• First Nat’l Bank v. Austin, 00-385 (La. App. 3 Cir. 10/11/2000), 771 So. 2d 788

• Boyd Racing, LLC v. Fruge, 07-1589 (La. App. 3rd Cir. 12/23/08), 1 So. 3d 764

• S & R Hotels, L.L.C. v. Calcasieu Parish School Bd. Sales & Use Tax Dept. , 2006-918 (La. App. 3 Cir. 12/13/06), 945 So. 2d 875

• Firestone Polymers v. Calcasieu Parish School System , 2007-0501 (La. App. 3rd Cir. 10-31-07), 969 So. 2d 748

• In re Succession of Stark, 934 So. 2d 901 (La. App. 3rd Cir. 2006)

• Unwired Telcom Corp. v. Parish of Calcasieu, 2003-732 (La. 1/19/05) 903 So. 2d 392

• Anothony Crane Rental, L.P. v. Fruge, 2003-115 (La. 10/21/03) 859 So. 2d 631

• Mercury Cellular Telephone Co. v. Calcasieu Parish of Louisiana, et al., 773 So. 2d 914 (La. App. 3rd Cir. 2000), writ denied, 787 So. 2d 314 (La. 2001)

• Lake Charles Memorial Hosp. v. Parish of Calcasieu, 98-519 (La. App. 3rd Cir. 12/9/98), 728 So. 2d 454, writ denied, 99-0071 (La. 3/12/99), 739 So. 2d 213

• in re Howard Marshall Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust, 709 So. 2d 662 (La. 1998)

• Gard, LLC v. Calcasieu Parish, 96-1520 (La. 3rd Cir. 4/2/1997), 93 So. 2d 10

• Gravity Drainage Dist. 8 of Ward 1 v. Larry Doiron Inc.,, 12-559, 560, 12/05/2012, 103 So. 3d 1247 (La. 3rd Cir.)

• Sasol v. Bolton, 12-724, 12/5/2012, 103 So. 3d 1267 (La. 3 Cir.)

• Trunkline LNG Company, LLC v. Calcasieu Parish School System, 15-1062 (La. App. 3rd Cir. 4/13/16), 190 So. 3d 457, writ denied, 2016-0919 (La. 9/6/16)

• Nelson Industrial Steam Co. v. Calcasieu Parish, et. al., 2015-1439 (La. 5/3/16), 190 So. 3d 276

• Hardy v. Augustine, 2010-946 (La. App. 3rd Cir. 2/2/11), 55 So. 3d 1019

• In Re: The Normand and Irene Morin Irrevocable Inter Vivos Trust, 21-687 (La. App. 3rd Cir. 2/23/2022), 2022 WL 534546, writ denied, 2022-0749 (La. 9/20/2022), 2022 WL 4354180

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Representative Clients

• Calcasieu Parish School Board

• Louisiana Department of Revenue and Taxation

 

Classes/Seminars

• Adjunct Professor of Business & Tax Law, McNeese State University, 1993 - Present

• Lecturer on tax and estate planning seminars, 1995 - Present

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Honors and Awards

• Times of Lake Charles 40 Community Leaders Under 40

• Best Lawyers in America

• Super Lawyers

 

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Best Lawyers in America

• Louisiana State Bar Association

• Southwest Louisiana Bar Association , Secretary/Treasurer, 1995 - 1997

• Louisiana State Bar Association - Young Lawyers Division, Chairman, 1999 - 2000

• Louisiana State Bar Association - Young Lawyers Division, Chair-elect, 1998 - 1999

• Louisiana State Bar Association - Young Lawyers Division, Secretary, 1997 - 1998

• Louisiana State Bar Association - Young Lawyers Division, District Rep, 1995 - 1996

 

Pro Bono Activities

• Vice-chairman of St. Louis Catholic High School

• Chairman of the Christus St. Patrick Hospital Board of Directors