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Regular Session, 2012
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 58
BY SENATOR AMEDEE
COMMENDATIONS. Commends Chief Justice Burrell Johnston Carter of the First Circuit
Court of Appeal upon his retirement and for his service to the legal community and the
citizens of Louisiana.
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To commend Chief Justice Burrell Johnston Carter of the First Circuit Court of Appeal upon2
his retirement and for his service to the legal community and to the citizens of3
Louisiana.4
WHEREAS, Chief Justice Carter was born in Baton Rouge on June 17, 1935, to5
Robert T. Carter and Elizabeth Johnson Carter; and6
WHEREAS, he married Helen Bridges on June 7, 1959, and they had two children,7
Robert J. Carter and Elizabeth Carter Peak; and8
WHEREAS, they have five grandchildren, Taylor Carter Peak, David Kramer Peak,9
Helen Ruth Carter, Robert Burrell Carter, and Jessica Ledet; and10
WHEREAS, he attended Greensburg High School and graduated in 1953 as the11
valedictorian of his senior class; and12
WHEREAS, upon graduation, Chief Justice Carter attended Louisiana State13
University and was selected as a member of the Phi Kappa Phi honor society; and14
WHEREAS, Chief Justice Carter graduated from the Louisiana State University15
School of Law in 1958 as its Valedictorian and was a member of the Phi Delta Phi legal16
fraternity; and17
WHEREAS, he received the LSU School of Law Honors Award and the LSU School18 SCR NO. 58
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of Law Criminal Law Award, and in 1987, was inducted into the Paul M. Hebert Law Center1
Hall of Fame; and2
WHEREAS, he attended Basic Army Administration School in Fort Ord, California,3
in 1959 and took the Judge Advocate General's Corps Civil Law Course in 1962 at the4
University of Virginia; and5
WHEREAS, he attended numerous Appellate Judges Conference Seminars sponsored6
by the American Bar Association and took several writing courses at the National Judicial7
College; and8
WHEREAS, Chief Justice Carter is a veteran of the Louisiana National Guard and9
a veteran of the United States Army where he served as an active member of the Judge10
Advocate General's Corps from 1961 to 1962 and as a reserve member from 1962 to 1968;11
and12
WHEREAS, in the United States Army he was a private in 1959, and attained the13
rank of 1
st
Lieutenant in 1961 and captain in 1962, and was a member of the Reserve14
Officers Association and the Military Order of World Wars; and15
WHEREAS, he was a law clerk for the Honorable Robert Ellis at the First Circuit16
Court of Appeal from March 1961 to September 1961 and from August 1962 to January17
1963; and18
WHEREAS, Chief Justice Carter was a practicing attorney from 1958 to 1974, with19
his major clients consisting of U.S. Farmer's Home Administration, Edward Hines Lumber20
Company, Georgia Pacific Corporation, and Century Telephone & Telegraph; and21
WHEREAS, he served as a state court district judge for the 21
st
Judicial District22
Court from October 15, 1974 to December 31, 1981, and served as Chief Judge from 197923
to 1981; and24
WHEREAS, he has served as a state appellate court judge for the First Circuit Court25
of Appeal since January 1, 1982 and served as Chief Judge from January 1, 1999 to26
December 31, 1999, and from August 1, 2001, to the present time; and27
WHEREAS, he served as Justice Ad Hoc for the Louisiana Supreme Court in 198228
and 1995 and as Judge Ad Hoc for the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal in 1989; and29
WHEREAS, Chief Justice Carter was admitted to practice before the Louisiana30 SCR NO. 58
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Supreme Court in 1958; the United States District Court, Eastern District, in 1959; the1
United States Supreme Court in 1962; the United States Court of Military Appeals in 1962;2
and the United States Court of Appeal, Fifth Circuit, in 1973; and3
WHEREAS, he has been a member of the 21
st
Judicial District Bar Association from4
1959 to the present time and served as its vice-president from 1968 to 1969 and as its5
president from 1970 to 1972; and6
WHEREAS, he is also a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association, the7
American Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association, the Baton Rouge Bar Association,8
the American Judicature Society, the Louisiana Council of Juvenile Court Judges, the9
National Council of Juvenile Court Judges, the National College of Probate Judges, the10
American Judges Association, and the Louisiana Judicial Council; and11
WHEREAS, Chief Justice Carter has unselfishly dedicated countless hours to many12
civic organizations, including: the Greensburg Methodist Church, the American Red Cross,13
the Boy Scouts of America, the American Legion, and the Capital Area Agency on Aging;14
and15
WHEREAS, he merits recognition for his many contributions and accomplishments16
during the course of his highly effective career and for the deep sense of pride he has17
brought to all who have worked with him and whose lives he has touched with his18
extraordinary honesty and integrity; and19
WHEREAS, Chief Justice Carter will remain an inspiration to his fellow citizens for20
the vital contributions he has made in his career of highly effective public service, and he21
merits the highest commendation and most sincere congratulations for his unforgettable22
contributions to the state, whose citizens will long reap the benefits of his incomparable23
legacy of integrity, leadership, and excellence.24
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby25
commend Chief Justice Burrell Johnston Carter upon his retirement from the First Circuit26
Court of Appeal, does hereby recognize and record for posterity his accomplishments and27
highly productive service, does hereby express to him the enduring appreciation of the state's28
citizens, and does hereby extend to him best wishes for continued success and happiness in29
all of his future endeavors.30 SCR NO. 58
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to Chief1
Justice Burrell Johnston Carter.2
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Nancy Vicknair.
DIGEST
Amedee SCR No.
Commends Chief Justice Burrell J. Carter of the First Circuit Court of Appeal upon his
retirement and for his service to the legal community and to the citizens of La.