Judiciary Commission Says Shreveport Judge Repeatedly Broke State Law, Raising Public Safety Concerns

SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) - A near-75-page report from the Louisiana Judiciary Commission alleges serious breaches of state law by Shreveport City Court Judge Sheva Sims, claims that raise questions about public safety and the handling of violent- and repeat-offender cases in the city.

The commission’s investigation — which is being forwarded to the Louisiana Supreme Court — accuses Judge Sims of repeatedly releasing people arrested for certain violent crimes on their own recognizance (R‑O‑R) instead of setting the mandatory bond required by state law. The commission also says Sims failed in at least one instance to require an ignition‑interlock device for a repeat DWI offender — a condition the law requires to keep intoxicated drivers off the road.

A DEEPER LOOK:

Key findings

• The Judiciary Commission’s filing highlights Count Five (see court documents, page 25) as alleging a failure to follow the Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure. The commission points to multiple instances where defendants arrested for crimes such as domestic‑abuse battery, battery of a police officer, aggravated assault, and aggravated assault with a firearm were released on R‑O‑R despite statutory requirements that bond be set.
• Court records show at least 10 people charged with domestic‑abuse battery or other crimes of violence were released on their own recognizance. According to the commission, Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure Article 321(C) mandates bond for these offenses and contains no exception for the reasons Judge Sims cited.

Why it matters

Legal analysts and prosecutors say the errors carry real-world consequences. Louisiana attorney Royal Alexander, who reviewed the commission’s findings, warned that releasing those charged with domestic violence without bond can put victims — often family members — at renewed risk.

“And in cases of domestic abuse battery, the danger, we’ll say, of allowing someone out on an or bond is that they’re going to go frequently, find the woman again, and perhaps harm her again,” Attorney Royal Alexander said. “The law is especially sensitive about domestic abuse. It is the man being the aggressor towards the woman.”

Judge Sims’ explanations

When questioned about the releases, Judge Sims acknowledged she was aware that the law prohibits R‑O‑R for certain offenses but said some minute entries were incorrect and that a number of releases were ordered for medical reasons, jail‑safety concerns, or because prosecutors and defense attorneys had agreed to let defendants remain free while completing probation or diversion programs.

The Judiciary Commission’s filing, however, notes that Article 321(C) does not provide exceptions for those reasons. Royal Alexander emphasized the mandate, “It’s a mandatory bond. You can’t not set it. Under Louisiana law, it’s mandatory. You have to set that bail and if that’s not done, then a judge is clearly not following the law.”

DWI ignition‑interlock allegations

The commission also alleges Judge Sims failed to require an ignition‑interlock device for a defendant charged with a second or subsequent DWI in a February 4, 2023 bond order. Louisiana rules require a court to impose the interlock condition in those cases; records show the condition was left out of the bond order.

Judge Sims told investigators the omission occurred as a new assistant was learning court duties. When the judge learned of the mistake; she corrected the order, but court documents say she did not fully accept personal responsibility. In the filing; Judge Sims is quoted saying, in part, “I just do it myself. So it requires me to do extra stuff that falls under the purview of her job because all she has to do is type in the name, type in the date, print it out, give it to me, I sign it, and then she sends it over.”

Other procedural concerns

The commission’s report also points to a separate portion of Count Five asserting that Judge Sims credited a defendant with jail time for a traffic violation using time allegedly served for a different crime — another procedural error flagged by investigators.

Potential discipline and broader impact

The Judiciary Commission has recommended that Judge Sims be suspended from the bench for one full calendar year. If the Louisiana Supreme Court follows that recommendation, removing Judge Sims would reduce the number of active city court judges and could strain the Shreveport court system.

“There is four of those judges, and all of a sudden, you’re losing 25% of the work and there is a ton of matters that come before our city court judges,” Alexander said. “Shreveport is a city so to have one removed would slow things up and way overload the other judges.”

What happens next?

The Louisiana Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the Judiciary Commission’s recommendation on January 7, 2026. The high court has the authority to accept the recommendation, impose a different sanction, or dismiss the matter.

KSLA reached out to Judge Sheva Sims’ office seeking comment on the Judiciary Commission’s findings and the

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