Attorney General Liz Murrill is announcing that on September 9, 2025, she obtained a permanent injunction against Florida-based company, Joiner’s Tree Service, L.L.C., and its owner, Jeffery Darren Joiner. The permanent injunction issued by Honorable John A. Keller of the 22nd Judicial District Court in Covington, LA, prohibits Joiner from contracting, soliciting, advertising, and conducting any business related to tree cutting and removal, tree trimming, tree risk assessment, tree management, stump removal and grinding, and other tree related services in the state of Louisiana. The judgment further enjoins Joiner from pursuing any action to collect payments of remaining unpaid invoices, totaling $126,120 from Louisiana consumers and their insurers for tree removal services performed in Louisiana during the state of emergency for Hurricane Ida. In addition to the permanent injunction, Joiner must pay penalties of $25,000. The Court found that Joiner violated the Louisiana Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law, and the Price Gouging law. 

“Price Gouging during an emergency is illegal and will not be tolerated in Louisiana. It is especially offensive for companies or individuals to target our people at a time of loss and vulnerability. We will hold them accountable,” said Attorney General Liz Murrill.

Joiner’s Tree Service, LLC, and its owner, Jeffery D. Joiner, based in Gainesville, Florida, travelled to Louisiana to solicit tree removal business and profit from Louisiana consumers and their insurers in the wake of devastation from Hurricane Ida. Joiner operated his tree removal business in Louisiana without the required license from the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. Joiner improperly obtained assignments of benefits from Louisiana consumers on an electronic tablet using a program called “Jot Form.” Despite requests from consumers, Joiner refused to provide estimates of the costs of services and copies of contracts, stating that he would bill the consumers’ insurers directly. Joiner promised the consumers would owe “zero” to Joiner if their insurers did not pay. Within days of performing tree removal services and returning to Florida, Joiner demanded payment of over $100,000 each from several consumers through their insurance companies.  After a thorough investigation, the Attorney General’s Office filed a lawsuit on December 2, 2021, for violations of the Louisiana Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law, and the Homeland Security and Emergency Assistance and Disaster Act.

Louisiana’s price gouging law is activated during a state of emergency declared by the governor. If you suspect price gouging, report it to local law enforcement and file a consumer dispute with the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office at https://aglizmurrill.com/ConsumerDispute. For more information, call the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-351-4889.