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Judge Biographies

Article III Judges

Federal Judicial Service:

Judge U.S. District Court, Middle District of Louisiana
Nominated by Barack Obama on April 26, 2012, to a seat vacated by Ralph E. Tyson; Confirmed by the Senate on May 9, 2013, and received commission on May 10, 2013. Served as chief judge, July 18, 2018 to present.

Education:
University of Texas at Austin, B.B.A. (cum laude), 1981
Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center, J.D., (Law Review) 1988

Professional Career:
Private Practice, LA, 1988 – 2013
Ad Hoc Hearing Officer, Louisiana Workforce Commission, Office of Worker’s Compensation, 2008 – 2013

Ad Hoc Hearing Officer, Randolph Sheppard Program, Louisiana Workforce Commission, 2011


 

Federal Judicial Service:
Judge, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Louisiana
Nominated by Barack Obama on October 29, 2009, to a seat vacated by Frank J. Polozola; Confirmed by the Senate on June 15, 2010 and received commission on June 15, 2010. Served as chief judge, 2011-July 17, 2018.

Education:
Xavier University of Louisiana, B.S., 1982
Southern University Law School, J.D., 1985
Georgetown University Law Center, LL.M, 2000


Professional Career: U.S. Department of Justice, 1985 - 2002
Private practice, Louisiana, 2002-2010


 

Federal Judicial Service:

Judge, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Louisiana
Nominated by Barack Obama on March 13, 2014, to a seat vacated by Judge J. James Brady who took senior status; Confirmed by the Senate on July 22, 2014 and received commission on July 23, 2014.

Education:
Louisiana State University, B.A., 1971
Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, J.D. (Order of the Coif), 1974

Professional Career:
Private Practice, Louisiana, 1974 - 2014


 

Judge James J. Brady - Deceased

Federal Judicial Service:
Judge, U. S. District Court, Middle District of Louisiana
Nominated by William J. Clinton on July 14, 1999, to a seat vacated by John V. Parker; Confirmed by the Senate on May 24, 2000, and received commission on May 25, 2000. Assumed Senior status as of December 31, 2013.

Education:
Southeastern Louisiana College, B.A., 1966
Louisiana State University Law School, J.D., 1969

Professional Career:
Private practice, LA, 1969-2000
Board member, Louisiana Board of Tax Appeals, 1975-1980
Adjunct professor, Louisiana State University, 1985, 1987, 1990

Judge Ralph E. Tyson - Deceased

Federal Judicial Service:
Judge, U. S. District Court, Middle District of Louisiana
Nominated by William J. Clinton on April 2, 1998, to a new seat created by 111 Stat. 1174; Confirmed by the Senate on July 31, 1998, and received commission on August 3, 1998. Served as chief judge, 2005-2011.

Education:
Louisiana State University, B.A., 1970
Louisiana State University Law Center, J.D., 1973

Professional Career:
Private practice, 1973-1988
Adjunct professor, Louisiana State University Law School, 1989-1991
Instructor, Sociology/Law Enforcement Department, Southern University, 1989-1998
Judge, Baton Rouge City Court, Louisiana, 1988-1993
Judge, 19th Judicial District Court, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, 1993-1998

 

Judge Frank J. Polozola - Deceased

Federal Judicial Service:
Judge, U. S. District Court, Middle District of Louisiana
Nominated by Jimmy Carter on April 2, 1980, to a seat vacated by Elmer Gordon West; Confirmed by the Senate on May 21, 1980, and received commission on May 23, 1980. Served as chief judge, 1998-2005. Assumed senior status on January 15, 2007.

U.S. Magistrate, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, 1972-1973 (part-time)
U.S. Magistrate, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, 1973-1980

Education:
Louisiana State University Law School, LL.B., 1965

Professional Career:
Law clerk, Hon. E. Gordon West, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Louisiana, 1965-1966
Private practice, Baton Rouge Louisiana, 1966-1973
Professor, Louisiana State University Law Center, 1977-2013

 

Judge John V. Parker - Deceased

Federal Judicial Service:
Judge, U. S. District Court, Middle District of Louisiana Nominated by Jimmy Carter on May 24, 1979, to a new seat created by 92 Stat. 1629; Confirmed by the Senate on September 25, 1979, and received commission on September 26, 1979. Served as chief judge, 1979-1998. Assumed senior status on October 31, 1998.

Education:
Louisiana State University, B.A., 1949
Louisiana State University Law School, J.D., 1952

Professional Career:
U.S. Army, 1952-1954
U.S. Army Reserve, 1954-1964
Private practice, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1954-1979
Assistant parish attorney, City of Baton Rouge, Parish of East Baton Rouge, 1956-1966

 

Judge E. Gordon West - Deceased

Federal Judicial Service:
Judge, U. S. District Court, Middle District of Louisiana (1972-1992)
Judge, U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana (1961-1972)
Nominated by John F. Kennedy on September 5, 1961. Confirmed by the Senate on September 14, 1961, and received commission on September 15, 1961. Served as chief judge in the Eastern District of Louisiana, 1967 until April 16, 1972, when he was reassigned to the new court in the Middle District of Louisiana. He was Chief Judge of the Middle District from April 16, 1972 until November 27, 1979, when he assumed senior status. Judge West served in the Middle District for 20 years until his death on November 2, 1992.

Education:
Louisiana State University, B.A., 1941
Louisiana State University Law School, LL.B., 1942

Professional Career:
U.S. Naval Reserve during World War II, 1942-1945
Attorney for Louisiana State Department of Revenue, 1945-1946
Louisiana State Inheritance Tax Collector, 1948-1952
Private practice, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1946-1961


 

Magistrate Judges

Federal Judicial Service:
Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Louisiana
Appointed, February 20, 2013; Reappointed, February 20, 2021

Education:
Louisiana State University, B.S., 1998 (Cum Laude)
Georgetown University Law Center, J.D. 2001 (Magna Cum Laude, Order of the Coif)

Professional Career:
2001-2003 Private Practice
2003-2013 U.S. Department of Justice

Federal Judicial Service:
Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Louisiana
Appointed, January 4, 2016.

Education:
University of Iowa, B.S., 1995
Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, J.D., 1999

Professional Career:
Private Practice, Louisiana and Texas, 1999-2016

Federal Judicial Service:
Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Louisiana
Appointed, February 18, 2020.

Education:
LSU, B.A., 1990
University of Pennsylvania Law School, J.D., 1993

Professional Career:
1993 - 1997 United States Marine Corps
1997 - 2014 Private Practice
2014 - 2020 State of Louisiana, Division of Administration