BATON ROUGE — The state's highest court on Tuesday imposed an indefinite suspension on longtime lawyer and lobbyist James Burland, who pleaded guilty last month in a child pornography case.

The Louisiana Supreme Court, considering a petition by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel, said the lawyer's suspension would be effective immediately, the filing said.

In November, federal prosecutors filed a bill of information against the Spanish Town-based lobbyist, alleging that agents found pornographic material involving children during a raid in April 2023. Burland pleaded guilty in December.

Burland, 69, lobbied lawmakers for the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry and handled campaign finance reporting for a number of office-holders. 

The bill of information said Burland had child pornography that depicted minors under the age of 12, between November 2022 and April 2023. Burland entered a deal with prosecutors to have the matter handled directly by prosecutors without going before a grand jury.

Court records show a sentencing date has not been set.