‘LaPolitics’: Rare turnover coming for Louisiana district judges

Elections for district judge are some of the lowest-profile races in the political universe, and often some of the most predictable.

Unless they have the opportunity to move up, judges tend to hang onto the job until they hit the age limit. Incumbents are hard to dislodge, and for obvious reasons attorneys are reluctant to run against sitting judges.

But there will be more turnover than usual this year as veterans reach mandatory age 70 retirement and create open seats. And structural changes are creating new wrinkles this year, most obviously in Orleans Parish, after the Legislature decided New Orleans had three criminal court judges too many.

Judge John Fuller, who just won a judgeship in a special election only to see the Legislature eliminate it, is challenging that law, and won a preliminary injunction this week that temporarily puts the law on hold. Attorney General Liz Murrill is appealing, and there’s a good chance the matter ends up before the Louisiana Supreme Court.

So with qualifying for the November election only a few weeks away, it’s still possible that Fuller and the other targeted judges—Rhonda Goode-Douglas and Simone Levine—will stand for their current seats. But it’s more likely that they’ll be challenging one of their colleagues, pitting incumbent against “incumbent.”

Goode-Douglas has already announced her intention to run against Judge Leon Roché. Levine has stated she plans to run, though she has not said for which section. And Fuller obviously isn’t interested in going quietly, but he has not publicly disclosed his political plans.

They could find themselves with an advantage if they run against a more senior judge, says Dillard University professor and political analyst Robert Collins. That’s because they all ran competitive races relatively recently and are fresher in the minds of voters than some of the veterans.

“The problem some of these incumbents have is, in some cases, it has been six, seven, eight, nine, 10 years since the last time they’ve had to mount a real campaign,” Collins says.

Judges sometimes are elected unopposed because different political factions cut a deal, he notes. That’s great for them when it happens, but it doesn’t help them build name recognition. Not that the average person can name many judges. 

Judicial races are some of the most low-information elections and the recent changes could confuse voters, says Jesse Manley with Court Watch NOLA, which works to help residents understand how their courts function.

“I think it’s going to be messy and it’s going to be contentious,” he says. “We are going to have veteran judges running against each other for seats and I think it is going to be a problem for voters.”

Orleans is not the only high-profile jurisdiction where voters will be faced with a new landscape. Following legislation Rep. Barbara Freiberg passed last year, the 19th Judicial District covering East Baton Rouge Parish was redistricted for the first time in more than 30 years.

Previously, the 19th JDC’s 15 judges were divided evenly among three subdistricts for election purposes. Now there are two subdistricts—one majority white, one mostly Black—that elect seven judges each, plus a single judge elected parishwide.

Even at this late date, many potential candidates are still mulling which positions to run for. Winston DeCuir Jr., who has served as counsel for LSU, Southern University and the UL System, is seeking the new parishwide judgeship.

The 19th JDC employs four commissioners who the judges appoint that are sort of like assistant judges, setting bail, signing search warrants and performing other judicial functions. Two of them—Jermaine Guillory and Kory Tauzin—may run for judge.

Several East Baton Rouge judges have reached the legal age limit of 70, creating opportunities for seasoned attorneys who fell short in the past.

“I think there’s going to be a lot of energy and excitement around these judicial races,” says former Baton Rouge Rep. Ted James, who is an attorney and lobbyist. “I can’t recall a time when we’ve had so many judges aging out in one cycle.”

In Caddo Parish, Judges Katherine Dorroh and Mike Pitman are both stepping down this year. But despite some early jockeying, the local politicos have coalesced around Hugo Holland and Heather Courtney as replacements and they are unlikely to face any serious challengers.

Over in the 2nd JDC, which includes Bienville, Claiborne and Jackson parishes, there will be three open seats. All three parishes vote together, but one judge has to be from each parish. Attorney Rob Moore is running for the Bienville seat, Rachel Wiggins Bays is running in Claiborne and Clay Carroll is running from Jackson.

Jefferson Parish’s 24th JDC has a couple of open seats. The contest for District F between Marko Marjanovic, executive counsel for Sheriff Joseph Lopinto, and attorney Joe McMahon will be spirited.

Monroe City Attorney Brandon Creekbaum is among those running for an open seat in the 4th JDC, which serves Ouachita and Morehouse parishes.

Qualifying for the November ballot is Aug. 5-7.

Jeremy Alford publishes LaPolitics Weekly, a newsletter on Louisiana politics, at LaPolitics.com. Follow him on Twitter, or Facebook. He can be reached at JJA@LaPolitics.com.