State Supreme Court grades Caddo Parish well

The Louisiana Supreme Court’s 2025 Annual Report has been released. Published by the Judicial Council, the report provides a comprehensive overview of the state’s judiciary’s work, statistics and administrative progress.   

The Louisiana Supreme Court found that in 2025 in Caddo Parish, with a population of 224,893, its five criminal court judges, assisted by zero court “commissioners” or hearing officers used in the other larger parishes for pre-trial issues such as bail, conducted 64 criminal court jury trials. In comparison, Ouachita Parish, population 157,900, conducted nine criminal jury trials with its five criminal court judges. East Baton Rouge Parish, our state’s largest parish at population 457,180, conducted 22 jury trials with nine judges and four commissioners assigned to its criminal court. Jefferson Parish, population 430,445, with 16 criminal court judges and three criminal court commissioners assisting them, conducted 68 criminal jury trials. Orleans Parish, population 357,759, with 13 criminal court judges and four commissioners, conducted 137 criminal jury trials. Caddo’s nearest population parishes, Lafayette Parish with a population of 261,751 and 13 criminal court judges, conducted eight criminal jury trials; St. Tammany Parish, population 280,500, with 12 criminal court judges and two commissioners, conducted 36 criminal jury trials.    

In the Louisiana Supreme Court’s count of average days from case filing to final disposition of these same parishes, Caddo Parish took an average of 245 days; Lafayette Parish 456 days; East Baton Rouge Parish 413 days; Orleans Parish 369 days; Jefferson Parish 334 days; St. Tammany Parish 273 days; and Ouachita Parish, also 245 days.

Additionally, from the report, the Court found that the Caddo Parish Juvenile Court conducted 677 criminal or “delinquency” cases and a total of 137 “Child in Need of Care” cases where a total of 329 children were removed from the custody of their parents due to abuse or neglect. Comparatively, East Baton Rouge Parish Juvenile Court had 621 delinquency cases, 230 Child in Need of Care cases, and 395 children removed from parental custody. 

“These numbers show that our office and Caddo Parish court again lead the state in productivity, despite the many challenges facing our overloaded court system," said Caddo Parish District Attorney James E. Stewart Sr. "I thank our prosecutors, staff, the Caddo Judges and court staff, law enforcement officers, the Public Defender’s office, and all witnesses and jurors who work together in the challenging environment of criminal justice  to provide and deliver justice in our Parish."

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