Two Baton Rouge subcontractors have filed lawsuits claiming they weren't paid for construction work, and the larger of the two targets Harvey Honore Jr., a member of the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors, and his son, Aaron Honore (via WAFB). The Honores' attorney denies that any money is owed, and no court has ruled on the claims.
The larger suit comes from Construction Specialties LLC, a drywall, metal stud and acoustical ceiling company owned by Shane Grimmett. "We're a drywall, metal stud, acoustical ceiling subcontractor. We've been in business over 20 years," Grimmett told WAFB's I-TEAM. He says he's owed $349,344.40 for work on a local private high school, a Baton Rouge car dealership and a project in Lafayette. That suit names both Harvey Honore Jr. and Aaron Honore.
Grimmett told WAFB that a $40,000 check he got for the dealership work bounced. He said he texted Aaron Honore about it in January and was told a cashier's check was coming; he later received one and deposited it without trouble. Grimmett said he hired attorney Andy DeJean after the end of May passed without the rest of the money.
About a month after Grimmett sued, a second sub, Plumbing MD, filed its own suit claiming $85,000 for work it was hired to do, WAFB reported.
The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office confirmed to WAFB that it has an open investigation. No charges have been filed.
Harvey Honore Jr. sits on the board's commercial side. A state boards and commissions listing shows him as a governor's appointee to the State Licensing Board for Contractors, and WAFB reported he was appointed by Gov. Jeff Landry. Minutes from the Commercial Board's Nov. 20, 2025, meeting list him among members present. WAFB reported he was absent at roll call for the board's October meeting.
That position is the core of DeJean's complaint. He argues Honore should recuse himself from disciplining contractors accused of similar conduct while the litigation is pending. "It's the height of hypocrisy, no question about it," DeJean told WAFB. "He has no business sitting on that contractor's board. No business."
"I want somebody at the contractors board to do the right thing," Grimmett said.
Steve Loeb, the attorney for Harvey Honore and Co., LLC, said in a statement that addressed only the Grimmett suit that the subcontracts are between companies, not individuals. He said payment under those subcontracts isn't due until the subcontractor delivers documents the contracts require, including a clear lien certificate. "Mr. Harvey Honore, Jr. has no personal liability, and we consider the allegations against Mr. Honore as defamatory," Loeb said. He added that the company denies any amount is due but is pursuing a commercial resolution, and that it's seeking dismissal.
Asked about the claims, Aaron Honore told WAFB, "Yeah, so that's actually not correct."
A board employee told WAFB the board is aware of the situation but declined to comment because of the pending litigation.
WAFB reported that the first lawsuit is set to be heard later this month. The Honores' statement says the court will decide the issue next month, and the exact hearing date couldn't be confirmed.
Why it matters for Contractors
Nobody has proven anything here, and the Honores' side is a defense small subs should pay attention to: that payment wasn't due because required paperwork, including a clear lien certificate, hadn't been delivered. Whatever a court decides in this case, document conditions written into a subcontract can hold up a check, and they're easy to miss when you're busy running crews.
Read the pay terms before you sign, and know exactly what lien releases, certificates or closeout documents you owe before each payment. Track your dates, too. Under Louisiana's Private Works Act, R.S. 9:4822, the window to file a statement of claim or privilege can be as short as 30 or 60 days after a notice of termination is filed, depending on whether a notice of contract was recorded. If a GC is slow-paying you on a private job in Louisiana, talk to a construction attorney early, before those deadlines run out.