09/22/2026
On May 7, 2026, the Supreme Court of Louisiana issued a per curiam ruling in State of Louisiana v. Van Hopkins (Docket No. 2026-KK-00167) that reversed the lower court of appeal and certified Matt Dennis as an expert witness in the field of electronic monitoring systems.
Case Background & Context
The Parties: Van Hopkins, owner of the electronic monitoring company AEM of Louisiana, was indicted on criminal charges (negligent homicide) following a tragic case where an individual wearing one of his company's ankle monitors murdered his estranged wife despite repeated perimeter breaches.
Who is Matt Dennis?:
Matt Dennis is the CEO of ASAP Release (and former director of Assured Supervision) who has worked extensively in the electronic ankle monitoring industry for over a decade. He was previously a business partner of Van Hopkins before parting ways.
The Legal Battle Over Testimony
The ruling on May 7th was the final resolution of a back-and-forth evidentiary dispute regarding whether Matt Dennis could give expert testimony:
Initial District Court Ruling: The district court initially denied the State’s request to permit Mr. Dennis to testify as an expert witness.
First Circuit Appellate Court (January 2026):
The State applied for supervisory writs, but the First Circuit denied the writ. However, Judge Edwards issued a notable dissent, arguing that the lower court abused its discretion because Mr. Dennis had over 11 years of extensive experience with electronic monitoring systems.
Supreme Court of Louisiana (May 7, 2026): The State appealed to the highest court in Louisiana. Adopting the reasoning of Judge Edwards' previous dissent, the Supreme Court granted the writ, reversed the court of appeal, and officially allowed Matt Dennis's expert certification.
