Bernette Joshua Johnson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bernette Johnson
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Johnson in 2017
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| Chief Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court | |
| In office February 1, 2013 – December 31, 2020 |
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| Preceded by | Catherine Kimball |
| Succeeded by | John L. Weimer |
| Associate Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court from the 7th district |
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| In office October 31, 1994 – December 31, 2020 |
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| Preceded by | Seat established |
| Succeeded by | Piper D. Griffin |
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| Born | June 17, 1943 Donaldsonville, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Spelman College (BA) Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge (JD) |
Bernette Joshua Johnson (born June 17, 1943) is an American lawyer and judge from New Orleans. She served as the chief justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court from 2013 to 2020.
She made history as the first African American to hold this important position. She took over from Catherine D. Kimball.
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Early Life and Education
Bernette Johnson was born in 1943 in Donaldsonville, Louisiana. She grew up attending local public schools. At that time, schools were still separated by race.
She went to college at Spelman College in Georgia. In 1964, she earned a degree called a Bachelor of Arts. After college, she worked for a summer with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. This group helped lawyers who were working on cases to end school segregation. This experience inspired her to become a lawyer herself.
She then attended law school at Louisiana State University. In 1969, she earned her law degree, called a Juris Doctor. She was one of the first African-American women to graduate from this law program. While in law school, she also interned at the United States Department of Justice. There, she helped with cases related to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This law helped end discrimination.
Career Highlights
Bernette Johnson focused her career on civil rights. She also worked to provide legal help to people who couldn't afford it. From 1969 to 1973, she was a managing attorney at the New Orleans Legal Assistance Corporation.
In 1984, she was elected to the Orleans Parish Civil District Court. This was a big step, as she was the first woman to serve as a judge in that court. She was re-elected in 1990. By 1994, she became the chief judge of that court.
Joining the Supreme Court
In the late 1980s, some lawsuits were filed about how judges were elected in Louisiana. One important case was Chisom v. Edwards. This case argued that the way judges were elected for the state's highest court, the Louisiana Supreme Court, was unfair. It was said to make it harder for African Americans to elect judges they supported.
The court found that the election system needed to change. It was decided that a new "sub-district" would be created for Orleans Parish. This change added an eighth position to the Louisiana Supreme Court. This new seat was often called the "Chisom seat."
In 1994, Bernette Johnson was appointed as the eighth associate justice to the State Supreme Court. This appointment was part of the agreement from the lawsuits.
In 2000, the state went back to having seven judicial districts for the Supreme Court. Johnson ran for the reconfigured 7th Supreme Court District and was elected. She was re-elected to this seat in 2010.
Becoming Chief Justice
The Louisiana Constitution has a rule: the longest-serving associate justice becomes chief justice when the position opens up. In 2012, the chief justice was retiring. Associate Justice Johnson was eligible to become chief justice because she had served the longest.
Another judge, Jeffrey P. Victory, also wanted the position. He argued that he should be chief justice. Johnson's time on the Supreme Court started a little earlier than his. When the other judges on the court decided to discuss who should be chief, Johnson filed a federal lawsuit.
A federal judge, Susie Morgan, decided in September 2012 that Bernette Johnson had more seniority. This meant she had served longer on the Supreme Court. In October 2012, the Louisiana Supreme Court members agreed. They said Johnson would become chief justice because her time on the court started before Victory's.
Bernette Johnson became the first African American to serve as chief justice in Louisiana. She is also the first African-American woman to serve on the Louisiana Supreme Court as both an associate justice and the chief justice.
See also
- List of female state supreme court justices
- List of African-American jurists
