Voters in New Orleans shook up the courthouse lineup in Saturday's party primary, filling three contested civil and criminal court seats with Stephanie Bridges, Sheryl Howard and John T. Fuller. The results reset leadership in two Civil District Court divisions and one Criminal District Court section that churn through a steady stream of lawsuits and felony trials.
Bridges edged Richard Perque 50.4% to 49.6% in a nail-biter for Civil District Court Division M. In Division N, Sheryl Howard pulled in roughly 63.61% of the vote to Elroy James' 36.39%, while John T. Fuller carried Criminal District Court Section J with about 65.08% to Andre Gaudin Jr.'s 34.92%, according to election tallies from WWL-TV and compiled Orleans Parish results from WDSU.
Fuller's Ballot Fight And What It Means
Fuller's road to the bench was anything but calm. In February, a legal challenge briefly knocked him off the ballot over a dispute involving his tax-filing certification. An appellate court later found the trial court had erred, putting him back in the race and clearing the way for Saturday's win. Court documents detailing that ruling are part of the public record. The appellate opinion on Justia explains the legal reasoning that kept Fuller in contention.
Who The New Judges Are
Sheryl Howard is a longtime New Orleans attorney who has served as a judge pro tempore and leaned hard on her civil courtroom experience in the campaign. Her materials describe a lengthy local practice that has made her a familiar face around the courthouse.
Stephanie Bridges, who ran for a different civil judgeship in 2023, emerged from a tight race to take over Division M and is listed in state campaign finance filings. Andre Gaudin Jr., Fuller's opponent in Section J, is a veteran prosecutor who has served as chief of the screening division in the Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office and campaigned on efficiency, accountability and second chances, as reported by FOX8.
Campaign and financial disclosures trace some of this backstory. Sheryl Howard's campaign site outlines her resume, and the state's ethics portal shows filings for Bridges.
What The Wins Mean For Court Workloads
These victories land at a tense moment in Baton Rouge. State lawmakers are advancing legislation that would cut several Orleans judgeships, a move supporters describe as "right-sizing" and critics warn could slow down trials and pile up already hefty backlogs.
The House-passed package would trim criminal and civil benches and consolidate court funds, according to reporting by WAFB. That makes these local wins part of a larger, brewing fight over how New Orleans manages its caseloads and who gets to decide what "enough judges" really looks like.
The Louisiana Secretary of State will certify the returns and post official counts on GeauxVote. Because each of these candidates cleared the 50% mark, none of the three races will move to a runoff. The Secretary of State's office maintains the official election records.
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