Piper D. Griffin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Piper Griffin
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| Associate Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Bernette Joshua Johnson |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Piper Dinita Griffin
February 2, 1962 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | University of Notre Dame (BA) Louisiana State University (JD) |
Piper Dinita Griffin, born on February 2, 1962, is an American lawyer. She has been an important judge on the Louisiana Supreme Court since 2021. This court is the highest court in the state of Louisiana.
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Growing Up and School
Piper Griffin grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana. She went to Xavier University Preparatory School.
After high school, she studied Government at the University of Notre Dame. She earned her degree in 1984. Later, she went to Louisiana State University's Paul M. Hebert Law Center. There, she earned her law degree in 1987.
Her Career as a Judge
Starting as a Judge
In 2001, Piper Griffin was chosen to be a judge. She worked at the Orleans Parish Civil District Court. This court handles disagreements between people or groups.
During her time there, she led many important court groups. She also served as the chief judge, which means she was in charge of the court. In 2019, she was elected as a leader for the Louisiana District Judges Associations.
Joining the Louisiana Supreme Court
In July 2020, Judge Griffin announced she wanted to become a judge on the Louisiana Supreme Court. This is the highest court in Louisiana.
In November 2020, she won the election for this important role. Her opponent decided not to continue, so she won without needing a second election. She officially started her job as an associate justice on January 1, 2021.
Awards and Special Recognition
Piper Griffin has received many awards for her work and service. Here are some of them:
| Year | Award Name | Given By |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Service Award | Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Legal Society |
| 1997 | Distinguished Black Exemplar: Top 50 Most Distinguished African American Graduates | Notre Dame University |
| 2003 | Ernest N. Morial Judicial Pacesetter Award | Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Legal Society |
| Civic Award | Alliance for Good Government | |
| 2004 | Award for Exemplary Community Service | Sigma Gamma Rho sorority |
| 2018 | Women of Achievement Nominee | NBA Women’s Lawyer Division - National Bar Association |
| Lifetime Achievement Award | Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Legal Society | |
| 2019 | Sarah J. Harper Humanitarian Award | Louisiana Judicial Council |
| Woman of the Year Award | First District Missionary Society, Women’s Department | |
| 2020 | Thomas Jefferson Justice By the People Award | American Board of Trial Advocates |
Groups and Leadership Roles
Piper Griffin has been a leader in many different groups. She was the first African American woman to lead the Young Lawyers section of the New Orleans Bar Association. She was also the first African American woman to be a Louisiana Bar examiner. This means she helped create and grade the tests for new lawyers.
She is currently on the board of St Katharine Drexel Preparatory School. She was also the president of this school's board from 2015 to 2019. She used to be the president of the Crescent City Chapter of Links. She was also a board member for Catholic Charities of New Orleans.
