HLS 23RS-3272 ORIGINAL
2023 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 117
BY REPRESENTATIVES GAINES, BOYD, BRASS, BRYANT, CARPENTER,
WILFORD CARTER, COX, FISHER, GLOVER, GREEN, HUGHES,
JEFFERSON, JENKINS, TRAVIS JOHNSON, JORDAN, KNOX, LAFLEUR,
LARVADAIN, LYONS, MARCELLE, DUSTIN MILLER, MOORE, NEWELL,
PHELPS, PIERRE, SELDERS, AND WILLARD AND SENATORS BARROW,
BOUDREAUX, BOUIE, CARTER, DUPLESSIS, FIELDS, HARRIS, JACKSON,
PRICE, AND TARVER
SPECIAL DAY/WEEK/MONTH: Designates Monday, May 22, 2023, as Louisiana
Judicial Council of the National Bar Association Day at the state capitol and
commends the council
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To designate Monday, May 22, 2023, as the Louisiana Judicial Council of the National Bar
3 Association Day at the state capitol and to commend the council.
4 WHEREAS, the Louisiana Judicial Council is an arm of the National Bar Association
5founded in 1971 and is the largest and oldest association of black judges in the world which
6has continued its legacy of service, activism, and justice for all; and
7 WHEREAS, the rapid increase in the number of black judges in the United States
8prompted the National Bar Association's national president, Edward F. Bell, to suggest
9coordination of an extension of the judicial body within the parent organization to provide
10an educational vehicle for judges, to reinforce and aid judges to uphold key principles, and
11to encourage judges to mentor others who enter the profession; and
12 WHEREAS, the Louisiana Judicial Council of the National Bar Association has one
13hundred forty-six active and retired members, with six members as federal judges, across the
14state of Louisiana; and
15 WHEREAS, the Louisiana Judicial Council of the National Bar Association consists
16of the following 2022-2024 Officers: Judge Lee V. Faulkner, Jr., 24th Judicial District
17Court, chair; Judge Kern A. Reece, Orleans Parish Civil District Court, chair-elect; Judge
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HCR NO. 117
1Sandra C. Jenkins, 4th Circuit Court of Appeal, secretary; Judge Marc E. Johnson, 5th
2Circuit Court of Appeal, treasurer; and the executive board members: Judge E. Adrian
3Adams, 24th Judicial District Court, Gretna; Judge Shonda D. Stone, 2nd Circuit Court of
4Appeal, Shreveport; Judge Derrick D. Kee, 14th Judicial District Court, Lake Charles; Judge
5Tammy D. Lee, Monroe City Court, Monroe; Judge Trudy M. White, 19th Judicial Court,
6Baton Rouge; Judge Vercell F. Fiffie, 40th Judicial District Court, Edgard; Judge Rachel D.
7Johnson, 4th Circuit Court of Appeal, New Orleans; Judge D. Nicole Sheppard, Orleans
8Parish Civil District Court, New Orleans; Judge Karelia R. Stewart, 1st Judicial District
9Court, Shreveport; immediate past chairperson, Judge June B. Darensburg, 24th Judicial
10District Court, Gretna; and past chairperson, Justice Piper D. Griffin, Louisiana Supreme
11Court; and
12 WHEREAS, in order to facilitate the provision of justice in Louisiana, the judges of
13the Louisiana Judicial Council undertake activities for the improvement of law, the legal
14system, and the administration of justice; and
15 WHEREAS, the Louisiana Judicial Council is committed to a more diverse ethnic
16and cultural balance of elected and nonelected judges throughout the state of Louisiana; and
17 WHEREAS, the Louisiana Judicial Council is committed to achieving the eradication
18of racial and class bias from the judicial process thereby improving the public's confidence
19in the judicial system; and
20 WHEREAS, the Louisiana Judicial Council of the National Bar Association aspires
21to be the beacon of light for justice in Louisiana and the world as it works to develop a
22shared sense of justice that respects the dignity of all human beings; and
23 WHEREAS, the Louisiana Judicial Council fashions effective remedies for
24legitimate grievances of the deprived, the oppressed, and the underrepresented in society;
25and
26 WHEREAS, the Louisiana Judicial Council facilitates and hastens the meaningful
27integration of the judiciary and of each agency of government controlled by or responsible
28to the judiciary; and
29 WHEREAS, the motto of the Louisiana Judicial Council is "Fiat Justitia Ruat
30Coelum" which means "Let Justice Prevail Though the Heavens May Fall"; and
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HCR NO. 117
1 WHEREAS, the Louisiana Judicial Council provides seminars, conferences, and
2forums for the exchange of judicial experiences and for the training and continuing
3education of its members; and
4 WHEREAS, the principle values of the Louisiana Judicial Council are justice and
5integrity, which are reflected by the respect, spirituality, selfless service, and personal
6courage of its membership.
7 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
8recognize Monday, May 22, 2023, as Louisiana Judicial Council of the National Bar
9Association Day at the state capitol and does hereby commend and express enduring
10appreciation and gratitude to the Louisiana Judicial Council of the National Bar Association
11for its fight for justice and equality within the judicial branch of our government and for its
12contributions to the judiciary as a whole.
13 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
14chairperson of the Louisiana Judicial Council of the National Bar Association.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HCR 117 Original 2023 Regular Session Gaines
Designates May 22, 2023, as La. Judicial Council of the National Bar Assoc. Day at the state
capitol and commends the council.
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