Jackson B. Davis

Jackson B. Davis

Jackson B. Davis is a former Louisiana state senator and currently practicing attorney in Shreveport, Louisiana. After obtaining his law degree and serving in World War II, Jackson B. Davis returned home and began practicing the law. From 1956 to 1980, he also served as a senator in the state legislature representing Caddo and Bossier parishes.

As a practicing attorney, Jackson B. Davis has been involved in a number of cases. One notable lawsuit occurred in 1970, which began as a dispute over an oil and gas lease. The lease was made to four men from South Carolina who alleged that Carl W. Jones, along with business associates, fraudulently misrepresented the value of the property in question, especially with regard to its possibilities as a site for mineral production.

In a counter-claim filed with the Court of Appeals, Jones disputed the factual evidence sworn to in affidavits presented against him. Additionally, he claimed that the charges brought forth against him by Jackson B. Davis and another attorney, Robert J. Moffatt, constituted libelous statements maliciously made with the intention of damaging his reputation. In affidavits filed with the court, Jones said he had heard Davis listening to his clients inform him that they were deliberately blaming Jones for actions they knew he did not commit. In separately filed affidavits, Jackson B. Davis and Moffatt disputed all such allegations.

Though Jackson B. Davis was not successful in obtaining a summary judgment and dismissal against Jones, the case is notable because the claims regarding potentially libelous charges made by lawyers were rejected. The case established a precedent in the Louisiana court system that plaintiffs or defendants cannot be held legally culpable for any defamatory statements made by their lawyers.