NEW ORLEANS — The City of New Orleans and City Council jointly announce a complete victory at the Louisiana 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in the “Wisner Trust” litigation which the Council began in 2022. The Circuit Court ruled in favor of the City and Council on all the major issues in the case, including confirmation that the City owns the former trust assets and the invalidation of the illegal trust “extension” signed by former Mayor LaToya Cantrell in 2020.
“As a Councilmember and now as Mayor, I’ve been steadfastly dedicated to delivering the former assets of the Wisner Trust to the people of New Orleans as an investment in the future of our city. The 4th Circuit ruling confirms what we all know – that these assets belong to the people of New Orleans; that the Wisner Trust dissolved; and that the heirs fight to shackle these assets for their own gain was misguided,” said Mayor Helena Moreno.
“This ruling rejects the prior administration’s attempt to deny the City full ownership of the Wisner lands and to extend the Wisner trust indefinitely. Mayor Moreno and the Council stand united to ensure the City takes full ownership of property it is due which, in turn, benefits City residents,” said Chief Administrative Officer Joe Giarrusso.
“Today, we are one step closer to final justice being served for New Orleans residents,” said Council President JP Morrell. “Over the span of the last 12 years, the greedy heirs in this case have fought tooth and nail to keep receiving payments from an expired trust. These payments rightfully belong to the people of New Orleans. This ruling is a legal and financial victory for the City that reaffirms the Wisner Trust land is held for the benefit of New Orleans residents.”
“Yesterday’s court ruling puts yet another convoluted legal challenge to rest and reaffirms that the Wisner Trust belongs to the people of New Orleans,” said Council Vice President Matthew Willard. “Our job now is to protect these precious resources and put them to work — not just today, but for the next generation.”
“I am thrilled about the outcome of this legal challenge, because at the end of the day it means more money for the people of New Orleans,” said District A Councilmember Aimee McCarron. “I appreciate the work and dedication of the past City Council and am honored to be part of this Council as we continue to fight for what is right for our citizens.”
“This ruling restores what was always ours, the city of New Orleans’, not just legally, but morally,” said District B Councilmember Lesli Harris. “I’m proud of the Council’s persistence and grateful to our legal team for seeing this through. Now the real work begins, making sure these resources go where they’re needed most, back into our neighborhoods.”
“Once again, the City of New Orleans has prevailed in the Wisner litigation, reaffirming our full ownership and authority over the Wisner assets,” said District E Councilmember Jason Hughes. “I am both thankful and proud that the City Council stood firm in protecting the City’s interest. I trust that this ruling will end the court battles and allow us to move forward to deliver benefits owed to the people of New Orleans.”
Upon taking office, Mayor Moreno aligned the city’s legal position with that of the city council, presenting a unified voice on behalf of the people of New Orleans. The former Wisner Trust, a compilation of lands and assets across 50,000 acres of Louisiana bayou wilderness, valued at tens of millions of dollars and earning $10m in revenues annually. The land bequeathed by Edward Wisner in 1914 to the city in trust for a century. In 2014, the trust was dissolved by court order following a lengthy legal battle won by the City. Subsequent legal wrangling by the purported heirs to the trust, and an illegal “extension” in which former-Mayor Cantrell gave away tens of millions in City-owned assets, has placed the City’s ownership of property in doubt and locked away millions in revenue while the years long litigation unfolded. With yesterday’s ruling, the Courts have officially confirmed the City and Council’s position that the assets properly now belong to the people of New Orleans, as Edward Wisner intended in 1914.