LOUISIANA — A Jefferson Parish judge signed an order Nov. 6 dismissing Allison Edwards’ petition for protection from stalking against Dr. Candice Matthews. A separate order signed the same day directs Edwards to appear Dec. 10 to respond to the motion to dismiss.
In the dismissal order, Judge Donald A. Rowan Jr. of the 24th Judicial District Court found that the petition arose from Dr. Matthews’ exercise of her rights to free speech and to petition on a public issue. He found that Edwards had failed to show a probability of success. The order dismisses the petition with prejudice, awards Dr. Matthews reasonable attorney fees and costs related to the motion and assesses court costs against Edwards.
Both orders list a hearing at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 10. The dismissal order sets the hearing to determine the amount of fees and costs. The separate order directs Edwards to address whether the petition should be dismissed and whether fees should be awarded. The scope of the hearing remains unclear.
Attorney Kamal Packer filed the motion Nov. 4 under Article 971 of the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure. Edwards alleged harassment through public posts, according to Packer’s filing. Packer argued that Dr. Matthews’ public statements and her complaint to the Plaquemines Parish School Board addressed a matter of public concern.
Dr. Matthews filed the complaint July 8, asking the district to review the social media activity of Edwards, a math teacher at Belle Chasse Middle School. The district said it would investigate. Edwards filed her petition July 10, and the court issued a temporary restraining order that day.
Edwards obtained a 10-year protective order by default July 23 after Dr. Matthews, who lives in Texas, did not appear for the hearing. Packer challenged the timing of the hearing, saying proof of out-of-state service was filed that same day. An earlier order directed that the protective order be expunged from the Louisiana Protective Order Registry. According to Packer’s November filing, the court annulled both the temporary restraining order and the 10-year protective order Sept. 17
