Ed Orgeron loses appeal as Louisiana Supreme Court splits $16.9M buyout with ex-wife

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — The Louisiana Supreme Court has ruled that Kelly Orgeron, the ex-wife of former LSU football coach Ed Orgeron, is entitled to half of his $16.9 million buyout from LSU after denying his rehearing request.

The legal fight began after LSU agreed to pay Ed Orgeron a $16.9 million buyout when he was let go in 2021. Kelly Orgeron argued she was entitled to half since the agreement was made in January 2020, during their marriage.

A district court and the First Circuit Court of Appeal had sided with Ed Orgeron, finding that the payout was not enforceable as community property. But the Louisiana Supreme Court reversed those decisions in June. They ruled that the agreement was binding and made during the marriage. This meant it was community property.

In Louisiana, community property means assets bought during a marriage. Both spouses own these assets equally. If a couple divorces or one spouse dies, those assets are divided.

On Thursday, the court denied Ed Orgeron’s request for a rehearing, meaning the ruling stands.

As a result, Kelly Orgeron will still receive about $8.13 million.

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