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RETIRED
JUDGE LUKE LAVERGNE
Judge Luke A.
LaVergne, served as District Judge of the Family
Court, Parish of East Baton Rouge, Division "B".
He was first elected in October 1992, and was
unopposed for re-election to six-year terms in
1996 and 2002. He served as Chief Judge of the
Family Court during the year of 2007. He retired
from the Bench on December 31, 2008 after 16
years as Judge.
Judge LaVergne is
the 5th of 10 children born to Adam LaVergne,
Jr. and Ida Nero LaVergne. He was reared in and
around Lawtell/Opelousas Louisiana. At age 16,
he entered St. Joseph Seminary (The order of
Josephite Priests) in Newburgh, NY, to study for
the Priesthood. After two years, he decided that
the priesthood was not his calling. He returned
home, and after graduation from Plaisance High
School, he joined the United States Air Force.
While serving in the Air Force, he attended
college on his off duty time. The Air Force
sent him full time to the University of Nebraska
at Omaha where he received his undergraduate
degree in Business and Finance from the
University of Nebraska in 1969, he obtained his
Masters Degree in Guidance and Counseling in
1974, from Southern Illinois University at
Edwardsville. He served with the Air Force in
Germany, Alaska and the Far East, and throughout
the United States. As an enlisted man he was
initially assigned to repair the RADAR systems
on fighter aircraft. After obtaining his
undergraduate degree, he went to officer
training school and was promoted to the rank of
2nd Lieutenant and rose through the
ranks. From 1970-73, He was the officer in
charge of an Avionics Squadron at Travis AFB,
Ca., and served on the Inspector General Team.
From 1973-75, he served in the Directorate of
Avionics, Headquarters Military Airlift Command
where he was in charge of avionics on all
aircraft in the command including Air Force One.
From 1975 to 1979, the last four years of his 23
1/2 year military career, he was assigned as an
Assistant Professor of Aerospace studies to
teach Air Force R.O.T.C. at LSU, Baton Rouge.
After retiring in 1979, with the rank of
Captain, he entered LSU Law School graduating in
1982, and was admitted to the Bar to practice
law in October 1982.
He served as an
assistant district attorney in East Baton Rouge
Parish from 1982 to December 1984, was appointed
several times to sit as Judge Pro Tempere of the
Baton Rouge City Court from 1988 to 1992, and
served as assistant Parish Attorney from 1990 to
1992. He also maintained a full time general
law practice from 1982 to 1992 until he was
elected to the Bench. He has been admitted to
practice before all Louisiana courts, the
Federal courts: Middle District of Louisiana,
the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals
and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Judge LaVergne has
been very active in legal circles including the
local, state and national bar associations, and
was one of the more active and visible attorneys
in Baton Rouge. He has served on the boards of:
The National Bar Association-Judicial Council,
as Treasurer, and the Baton Rouge Bar
Association; he was a Delegate to the Louisiana
State Bar Association; served on the Board of
The Louisiana Judicial College; and served two
years as president of the Black Lawyer group,
the Louis A. Martinet Legal Society, which is an
affiliate chapter of the National Bar
Association. He is currently on the board of the
Louisiana Judicial Council/NBA-treasurer; and
serves on the Council of the Louisiana State
Civil Law Institute,
He has also been
very active and continues to be an active member
of his community. He has served on the Boards of
many community agencies and organizations,
including Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical
Center, The Baton Rouge Symphony, The Boy Scouts
of America Istrouma Council, and the YMCA. He
currently serves on the Boards of: Our Lady of
the Lake College, Louisiana men’s Health
organization, St. Paul Community Outreach
Foundation and Volunteer Health Corps of Baton
Rouge. He was active with Metro Lions Club, the
South Baton Rouge Kiwanis Club, and the Baton
Rouge Rotary Club. He is a charter member of 100
Black Men of Baton Rouge, and a Life member Phi
Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. In 2003 at the
National Phi Beta Sigma Conclave in Detroit,
MI, he received his fraternity’s highest honor
by his induction into the National Distinguished
Service Chapter. He was only the 137th
member to be inducted during the Fraternity’s 94
year history with now over 105,000 members. He
is currently an Adjunct professor of Law at the
Southern University Law Center.
He is now a widower,
he had been married for nearly forty six years
to his high school sweetheart, the late
Catherine Ann Malveaux LaVergne, before her
death on September 1, 2006. He has one son,
Lance; a daughter, Cynthia, and four
grandchildren. He is a member of St. Paul The
Apostle Catholic Church, where he serves as
Chairman of the Finance Committee, Chairman of
the Capital Campaign, and teaches Catholic
church history.
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