Darrel James Papillion

Judge Darrel J. Papillion: A Recent Appointee to the Eastern District of Louisiana

Judge Overview

Judge Darrel James Papillion is a U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana. He was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden on March 21, 2023, and confirmed by the Senate on May 30, 2023. He received his judicial commission on June 1, 2023, filling the seat vacated by Judge Carl J. Barbier, who assumed senior status. Prior to his appointment, Judge Papillion had a long career in private practice. After clerking for Justice Catherine D. Kimball of the Louisiana Supreme Court, he worked at several Louisiana law firms, most recently as a founding partner at Walters, Papillion, Thomas, Cullens, LLC in Baton Rouge from 2009 to 2023. His practice focused on complex personal injury, wrongful death, and products liability litigation. He also served as a mediator, a special prosecutor, and an adjunct professor of law at Louisiana State University's Paul M. Hebert Law Center.

Patent Docket

Given his recent appointment in mid-2023, Judge Papillion has a very limited record in patent litigation. At present, his patent docket is exceptionally light, which is typical for a new judge in a district that is not a major patent litigation venue. The only tracked patent case before him, Rare Breed Triggers Inc et al. v. Canuck Tactical LLC, was filed in March 2026. Due to his brief time on the bench, there is no established record of his approach to claim construction, such as the timing of Markman hearings or the format of his claim construction orders. Litigants can expect him to follow the standard case management procedures of the Eastern District of Louisiana.

Notable Rulings and Local Procedures

There are no notable patent rulings from Judge Papillion to date, consistent with his nascent patent docket. His prior legal career involved representing both plaintiffs and defendants in civil litigation, including serving as co-counsel in a Voting Rights Act challenge to Louisiana's congressional districts. His experience has been primarily in trial advocacy for civil matters other than intellectual property. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana has not adopted a specific set of local patent rules, unlike many other districts with heavier patent dockets. Therefore, patent cases before Judge Papillion will be governed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the court's general local civil rules. His official chambers page on the court’s website advises counsel to review the local rules carefully before contacting chambers and requires that requests for continuances or status conferences be made through a formal motion.