A hearing scheduled for an LSU law professor suing the university was postponed from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday.

Judge Tarvald Smith of the 19th Judicial District Courthouse, who is presiding over the case, said the delay was due to the two sides deliberating in his chambers.

Ken Levy, a tenured criminal and constitutional law professor, was barred from teaching classes by LSU on Jan. 21 after a student reported he’d made political comments in class. Levy responded with a lawsuit days later, arguing his right to free speech had been violated.

Monday’s hearing will decide if the court will issue a temporary restraining order allowing Levy to return to his classroom.

LSU President William Tate IV was present at the hearing’s initial scheduled time. He was subpoenaed by Levy’s attorney as a potential witness.

Also subpoenaed as witnesses were LSU Law School Dean Alena Allen, LSU Director of Employee Relations Lindsay Madatic and LSU Assistant Vice President of Real Estate, Public Partnerships and Compliance Patrick Martin.

Levy was also in the crowd.

The court had previously issued a temporary restraining order on Jan. 30 in advance of the hearing, but it was revoked on appeal, once again prohibiting Levy from teaching.

Levy is represented by Jill Craft, while LSU is represented by Jimmy Faircloth Jr.

A small group of LSU Law students gathered outside of the courthouse wearing red in protest of Levy’s removal.