About Russell J. Stutes, III
Russ is an associate attorney at Stutes & Lavergne, LLC. Raised in Lake Charles, he attended college at Louisiana State University where he majored in Accounting. Russ then graduated from law school at LSU's Paul M. Hebert Law Center in 2018. In law school, he maintained multiple positions on the Student Bar Association each year including 1L Student Representative, Executive Treasurer, and Executive Vice-President. He also participated in a national appellate advocacy program where his team placed 4th overall and received an award for 2nd best brief.
Russ dedicates the majority of his practice to tax and commercial litigation cases where he has secured favorable decisions for his clients in the trial courts, appellate circuits, and Supreme Court of Louisiana. Outside of litigation, he assists clients in business planning, mergers, acquisitions, and sales; taxation; estate planning; and successions. Russ has both assisted and spearheaded deals valued in excess of one million dollars in his transactional practice.
Away from the office, Russ is married to Marissa Fraser Stutes. They spend their free time traveling, cheering on the LSU Tigers, and finding their next outdoor adventure with friends and family. Russ also serves as the Treasurer for the Young Lawyer's Section of the SWLA Bar Association and maintains a position on the Board of Directors at the Imperial Calcasieu Museum.
Successful reported decisions obtained for his clients include:
Arcelormittal LaPlace, LLC v. St. John the Baptist Parish, et al., BTA Docket No. L00187 (La. Bd. Tax App. 01/08/18) (secured favorable decision for client at the Board of Tax Appeals where the Board ruled that a taxpayer's purchases of tangible personal property were subject to sales and use taxes because the "further processing exclusion" did not apply to its purchases)
Pinnacle Polymers, LLC v. St. John the Baptist Parish Sales and Use Tax Office, BTA Docket No. L00357 (La. Bd. Tax App. 01/08/19) (secured favorable decision in part for client at the Board of Tax Appeals where the Board ruled that a taxpayer's purchases of tangible personal property were subject to sales and use taxes because the "further processing exclusion" did not apply to its purchases) (final decision pending at the Louisiana 5th Circuit Court of Appeals)
Ryan v. Calcasieu Par. Police Jury, No. 20-149 (La. App. 3 Cir. 11/18/20), 307 So. 3d 1173 (obtained final judgment in favor of client, including an award of attorney fees, in contempt proceedings where trial court and appellate court ruled that defendant willfully violated a consent judgment)
Calcasieu Parish Sch. Bd. Sales & Use Tax Dep't v. Nelson Indus. Steam Co., No. 20-00724 (La. 10/20/20), 303 So. 3d 292 (where the Louisiana Supreme Court granted writ of certiorari in favor of client in a per curiam opinion by reversing the appellate court on the issue presented and remanding remaining issues to appellate court for further proceedings) (final decision pending at the Louisiana 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals)
Ashcor, LLC v. Bryant, et al., No. 1:19-CV-00209 (E.D. Tenn. 2020) (secured favorable order for client where court granted motion to transfer case from federal court in the Eastern District of Tennessee to the Western District of Louisiana in Lake Charles)
Bearden v. Matocha, 2020 WL 3511925 (W.D. La. 2020) (obtained an award of attorney fees incurred by client in connection with a motion to compel discovery)
Russ dedicates the majority of his practice to tax and commercial litigation cases where he has secured favorable decisions for his clients in the trial courts, appellate circuits, and Supreme Court of Louisiana. Outside of litigation, he assists clients in business planning, mergers, acquisitions, and sales; taxation; estate planning; and successions. Russ has both assisted and spearheaded deals valued in excess of one million dollars in his transactional practice.
Away from the office, Russ is married to Marissa Fraser Stutes. They spend their free time traveling, cheering on the LSU Tigers, and finding their next outdoor adventure with friends and family. Russ also serves as the Treasurer for the Young Lawyer's Section of the SWLA Bar Association and maintains a position on the Board of Directors at the Imperial Calcasieu Museum.
Successful reported decisions obtained for his clients include:
Arcelormittal LaPlace, LLC v. St. John the Baptist Parish, et al., BTA Docket No. L00187 (La. Bd. Tax App. 01/08/18) (secured favorable decision for client at the Board of Tax Appeals where the Board ruled that a taxpayer's purchases of tangible personal property were subject to sales and use taxes because the "further processing exclusion" did not apply to its purchases)
Pinnacle Polymers, LLC v. St. John the Baptist Parish Sales and Use Tax Office, BTA Docket No. L00357 (La. Bd. Tax App. 01/08/19) (secured favorable decision in part for client at the Board of Tax Appeals where the Board ruled that a taxpayer's purchases of tangible personal property were subject to sales and use taxes because the "further processing exclusion" did not apply to its purchases) (final decision pending at the Louisiana 5th Circuit Court of Appeals)
Ryan v. Calcasieu Par. Police Jury, No. 20-149 (La. App. 3 Cir. 11/18/20), 307 So. 3d 1173 (obtained final judgment in favor of client, including an award of attorney fees, in contempt proceedings where trial court and appellate court ruled that defendant willfully violated a consent judgment)
Calcasieu Parish Sch. Bd. Sales & Use Tax Dep't v. Nelson Indus. Steam Co., No. 20-00724 (La. 10/20/20), 303 So. 3d 292 (where the Louisiana Supreme Court granted writ of certiorari in favor of client in a per curiam opinion by reversing the appellate court on the issue presented and remanding remaining issues to appellate court for further proceedings) (final decision pending at the Louisiana 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals)
Ashcor, LLC v. Bryant, et al., No. 1:19-CV-00209 (E.D. Tenn. 2020) (secured favorable order for client where court granted motion to transfer case from federal court in the Eastern District of Tennessee to the Western District of Louisiana in Lake Charles)
Bearden v. Matocha, 2020 WL 3511925 (W.D. La. 2020) (obtained an award of attorney fees incurred by client in connection with a motion to compel discovery)
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Details
Location
Lake Charles, LA
Years of Experience
6
Expertise Area
State and Local Taxation
Business Law
Mergers and Acquisitions
Estate Planning and Successions
Litigation
Licenses
Louisiana