Full Opinion

STATE OF LOUISIANA NO. 2026 KW 1367 VERSUS BRANDON DWAYNE BATES NOVEMBER 4, 2026 In Re: Brandon Dwayne Bates, applying for supervisory writs, 19th Judicial District Court, Parish of East Baton Rouge, No. DC - 24- 05250. BEFORE: WOLFE, STROMBERG, AND BALFOUR, JJ. WRIT DENIED. Louisiana law protects the confidentiality of juvenile records and evidence of juvenile adjudications is generally not admissible. See La. Ch. Code art. 412( A). When a defendant moves for production of the juvenile records of a witness the trial court is called upon to determine whether the impeachment value of these adjudications is outweighed by the State' s interest in maintaining the confidentiality of juvenile records. Davis v. Alaska, 415 U. S. 308, 94 S. Ct. 1105, 39 L. Ed. 2d 347 ( 1974); State v. Toledano, 391 So. 2d 817 ( La. 1980) . That determination can only be made after an examination of the juvenile record by the trial court and preservation of the record for review. See State v. Hillard, 398 So. 2d 1057, 1060 ( La. 1981). In this matter, the record reflects that the trial court examined the records submitted by the defense, in camera, and found that the record does not have such discrediting value that there is a reasonable likelihood it would affect the verdict. State v. Perkins, 2003- 1680 ( La. 6/ 27/ 03), 852 So. 2d 989. EW TPS KEB