LIVINGSTON — A judge says that a Livingston Parish school librarian who sued a Lafayette man and his organization for defamation over allegations that she promoted pornography among children is owed more than $50,000 in attorneys' fees. 

In 2022, Amanda Jones sued Michael Lunsford, the Citizens for a New Louisiana, a conservation policy research group that Lunsford founded, and blogger Ryan Thames after they equated her opposition to banning books about LGBTQ+ subjects to supporting child pornography and grooming children. Jones previously spoke against the practice of banning books amid a fight over what material should be available in the Livingston Parish library system. 

On June 15, 21st JDC Judge Erika Sledge said that $50,979 in attorneys' fees must be paid by Lunsford and his organization. 

In her decision, Sledge argues that, over the past several years, Jones went through the appeals process and filed multiple legal briefs in response to oppositions by the defendants in the case.

Her full decision can be read here.

Multiple courts have weighed in on the case since its filing.

In October 2025, the 1st Circuit of Appeal said that it was appropriate for a jury to decide whether some of the group's remarks were defamatory, and that Jones had a right to argue that the comments "were knowingly false or made with reckless disregard of the truth, and caused Ms. Jones injury, including harm to her reputation, contempt, ridicule, anxiety and emotional distress."

This reversed the court's original decision that ended Jones' lawsuit after it ruled against her in 2022 and 2023. In 2024, the Louisiana Supreme Court allowed the defamation lawsuit to proceed, but the First Circuit said it was too late for her to re-file.

The Louisiana Supreme Court in February also unanimously voted to dismiss a request from Lunsford and Citizens for a New Louisiana to throw out the defamation case.

Jones has since settled with Thames.