Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill secured a major victory today after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ordered the district court to end decades-old federal court oversight of the Concordia Parish School Board. 

“These decades-old consent decrees have long outlived their usefulness, and in this case, all parties agreed it should end. The good people of Concordia Parish elected their School Board to govern their schools—not unelected federal judges. Today’s decision puts that authority back where it belongs. I’m grateful the Fifth Circuit agreed, and my team and I will continue working to end outdated federal oversight and return power to Louisiana’s local communities," said Attorney General Liz Murrill.

The Fifth Circuit ruled that once all remaining parties agreed to dismiss the case, the district court could not continue the litigation. The court ordered the district court to end the case and vacate its prior orders, bringing more than 60 years of federal court oversight to a close.

Attorney General Murrill has worked with school systems across Louisiana to help bring decades-old federal court oversight to a close.

• In April 2025, following her office's involvement, the U.S. Department of Justice dismissed its long-pending case against the Plaquemines Parish School Board.
• In January 2026, following the involvement of Attorney General Murrill's office, the U.S. Department of Justice dismissed its long-pending case against the DeSoto Parish School Board and released the school board from the federal desegregation order that had been in place since 1967.
• Last month, Attorney General Murrill also joined the U.S. Department of Justice and the Bossier Parish School Board in seeking to end federal court oversight there.

Deputy Solicitor General Morgan Brungard represented the Concordia Parish School Board before the Fifth Circuit.

Read the Fifth Circuit's opinion here.