NAME: Lynda Van Davis
YOUR CAMPAIGN WEBSITE ADDRESS: http://www.lyndavandavis.com
CONTACT INFORMATION FOR PUBLICATION:
Address;34 Yellowstone Dr.
New Orleans, LA 70131
Phone: (504) 658-9113
FAX:
Email: lvandavis@bellsouth.net
PARTY AFFILIATION: Democrat
PROFESSION: Judge
PRESENT EMPLOYER/POSITION (if self-employed, what type of business) Judge, Criminal District Court
HIGHEST LEVEL OF EDUCATION: (include graduation date) 1996 Juris Doctorate from Indiana University School of Law
APPLICABLE TRAINING: I received on the job training in Criminal Court as a law clerk and state prosecutor. Additionally, I have attended numerous training courses for District Court Judges.
CIVIC EXPERIENCE:
Member, New Orleans Alumnae Chapter Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
Member, Pontchartrain Chapter of the Links Inc.
Member, Martinet Society
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE AND POLITICAL ORGANIZATION MEMBERSHIPS: I a not a member of any political organization; however, prior to being elected judge I have worked on a number of political campaigns.
1. What is the depth of your experience in Criminal District Court? Number of jury trials? Number of judge trials? Magistrate service? District Attorney's office?
In the summer of 1994, I clerked for Criminal Court Judge
Morris Reed, while I was still in law school. In 1997, after graduation
from law school, I started working for Criminal Court Judge Arthur Hunterıs
as his first law clerk. In 1997, I then joined the Orleans Parish District
Attorneyıs Office, where I tried 93 jury trials and 56 judge trials. As a
state prosecutor, I tried 1 death penalty murder case, as well as, several
other homicides, violent crimes and drug cases. As a federal prosecutor, I
tried 8 jury trials, including 1 death penalty murder case. As a criminal
court judge I have presided over a number of jury and judge trials.
2. Have you ever been subject to disciiplinary action by the Louisiana Bar Association? What was the outcome? Please explain.
Not applicable.
3. How will you avoid the public perception that attorney contributions to judicial elections lead to favoritism in judicial rulings?
It has always been my practice to treat every lawyer that appears before me fairly and with respect. As a judge, it is my responsibility to administer justice and follow the law. The Louisiana Code of Judicial Conduct prohibits me from personally accepting campaign contributions; however, I have never taken into account whether a lawyer has offered their support to my candidacy when rendering a decision in a case.
4. What steps do you think the Criminal District Court system should implement to repair the crime situation in Orleans Parish, both the long-standing, chronic problems and the present escalating situation? Will you initiate these measures from your bench?
The role of a Judge is not to serve as a crime fighter. However, since many of the crimes committed in this city are drug related, I have implemented a drug court in Section B of Criminal District Court. This program gives non-violent first time drug offenders an alternative to incarceration. With counseling, drug treatment and weekly visits with me in court, my drug court clients are living drug free and have become productive citizens in our city. This highly effective program has reduced the recidivism rate of drug court participants to only 11% percent.
5. Do you favor the consolidation of the civil and criminal courts? Why or why not?
I am in favor of consolidating Criminal Court with Civil Court because it is a fiscally sound idea. Currently Criminal Court is mostly supported by the State and the City, because the fines levied on the defendants are often not paid because they canıt afford to do so.
Meanwhile, Civil Court is supported by the filing fees from all civil cases.
However, the current structure of the New Orleans courts of having specialty
courts, i.e., criminal, civil, family, traffic and municipal is the trend in every other major city. This type of structure provides for a venue where the judge is an expert in that area of the law. The legal profession is no different from the medical profession, in that, as a patient you will seek a physician that specializes in your medical problem. With that said, I am in favor of consolidation of the two courts for the sole purpose of combining the funding sources.
© Copyright
League of Women Voters of New Orleans, Louisiana. All rights reserved.
![[LWV]](images/lwv76.gif)
