ENROLLED
2023 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 178
BY REPRESENTATIVES SEABAUGH, BAGLEY, GLOVER, JENKINS, MCCORMICK,
PHELPS, AND PRESSLY
A RESOLUTION
To commend the Honorable David Matlock, chief judge of the Juvenile Court for Caddo
Parish, on the occasion of his retirement.
WHEREAS, the Honorable David Matlock was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, and
graduated from C.E. Byrd High School as a National Merit Scholar; he completed his
undergraduate studies at Louisiana State University in Shreveport and earned a juris
doctorate from Baylor University in 1981; he also received the highest score on the Texas
State Bar Exam in 1981;
WHEREAS, Chief Judge Matlock's legal experience includes serving as an adjunct
instructor of jurisprudence and juvenile justice at Louisiana State University in Shreveport,
partner and director at Blanchard, Walker, O'Quin & Roberts, partner at Hargrove, Guyton,
Ramey & Barlow, and lawyer at Clark, Thomas, Winters & Shapiro in Austin, Texas; he has
been admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court; he was elected to serve
as a judge in the Juvenile Court for Caddo Parish in 1994, and he has served as chief judge
of the court since 1999; and
WHEREAS, the Juvenile Court for Caddo Parish is one of four special juvenile
courts in Louisiana with exclusive original juvenile jurisdiction; the court hears cases
regarding juvenile delinquency, Family in Need of Services cases concerning ungovernable
children, truants, and runaways, and Children in Need of Care cases where a child has been
abused, neglected, or abandoned; and
WHEREAS, Chief Judge Matlock always tried to balance the welfare of children
with an acute concern for public safety in his decisions; and
WHEREAS, during Chief Judge Matlock's tenure, the juvenile court had the state's
first Juvenile Drug Court, Family Drug Court, Juvenile Mental Health Court, and Truancy
Court; he also oversaw the development of the state's first Sex Trafficking Community
Response Team and Specialized Victims Intensive Unit; and
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WHEREAS, Chief Judge Matlock has been recognized on numerous occasions for
his commitment to Louisiana's youth; his honors include the Volunteers for Youth Justice
Hero of the Year Award in 2019, Louisiana CASA Judge of the Year in 2005 and 2019,
Volunteers for Youth Justice Shining Star Legal Advocate in 2008, and the Together We
Can, Catherine Lafleur Legal Advocacy Award in 2020; and
WHEREAS, in addition to his incredible professional career, Chief Judge Matlock
is a member of Broadmoor Baptist Church, where he has served as a Sunday School teacher,
deacon, and member of the board of directors; he was also a member of the Caddo Parish
School Board from 1990 until 1994, and he has been a Rutherford House Advisory Board
member since 1994; and
WHEREAS, the Honorable David Matlock is retiring, effective June 1, 2023, after
twenty-four years of dedicated service as chief judge of the Juvenile Court for Caddo Parish;
he is most deserving of the highest recognition for his commitment to the welfare of the
youth across both Caddo Parish and the state of Louisiana.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
Legislature of Louisiana does hereby commend Caddo Parish Juvenile Court Chief Judge
David Matlock on the occasion of his retirement and does hereby extend sincerest wishes
that he prosper in his retirement and all of his endeavors.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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