LOUISIANA Supreme Court Election Dec. 8, 2012 JudicialPaid for by Judge Jeff Hughes CampaignREPORT for Louisiana Supreme Court Conservative-vs.-Liberal Battle for Control of Court Supreme Court at Stake Judge Jeff Hughes Liberal Democrat Election Will Give Takes Reins as Conservatives 4-3 Chief Justice of Majority on State’s Supreme Court NEW ORLEANS — After sev- Supreme Court eral months of controversy and BATON ROUGE — The Dec. 8 a federal lawsuit, the Louisiana runoff election for a seat on the Supreme Court has agreed on Louisiana Supreme Court could a new Chief Justice. Associate make history by giving the court Justice Bernette Johnson will a Republican majority for the first replace current Chief Justice time ever. Kitty Kimball on Jan. 1, 2013. If Republican nominee Judge Justice Johnson is a Democrat Jeff Hughes is elected, four of the and the most liberal member of seven members of the court will be the court. As Chief Justice, she Republicans. Philosophically, the will be the Chief Administrative court would have a 4-3 conserva- Officer of the judicial system of tive majority as well. But if Dem- the state, subject to rules adopt- ocrat Judge John Michael Guidry ed by a majority of the Supreme is elected, the court will continue Court. Controversy arose be- on a more liberal path. cause she has been an elected Who turns out and votes Dec. 8 is the key. Hughes is the favorite See NEW CHIEF on Page 8 See HOW on Page 4 See HUGHES on Page 6 Judge Jeff Hughes WHAT I BELIEVE Member, Louisiana REAL-LIFE CONSERVATIVE Judge Jeff Hughes stands for the principles found in by Judge Jeff Hughes Court of Appeal the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. and Louisiana Constitutions. • U. S. Constitution Republican Nominee • Right to life for Supreme Court Republicans Support Hughes, • Right to property 12 Years Law Practice • Keep & bear arms Democrat Party Backs Guidry • Traditional Marriage 14 Years District Judge BATON ROUGE — Five Repub- Now the Republican Party is 8 Years on Louisiana lican judges entered the race for rallying around Hughes. The • Capital Punishment Court of Appeal the Louisiana Supreme Court in Louisiana Republican Party has • Judges should apply the Nov. 6 primary. Court of Ap- endorsed Judge Hughes, as has the the law to the facts Conservative Republican peal Judge Jeff Hughes emerged largest local party organization in from that crowded field and will the state — the Republican Party of a case — not try Native of Denham Springs face Democrat Judge John Mi- of East Baton Rouge Parish. The to make the law! chael Guidry in the runoff Dec. 8 See REPUBLICAN on Page 7 Opponent Lacks Trial Court Experience BATON ROUGE — One of the most important issues facing vot- ers in the Dec. 8 runoff for a seat Trial Court Experience • Comparison on the Louisiana Supreme Court is trial court experience. Both Judge Jeff Hughes Served as District Judge 14 Years, While Jeff Hughes and Judge John Michael Guidry Never Served as a Trial Judge John Michael Guidry cur- Guidry Type Trial Experience Hughes rently serve on the Louisiana Court of Ap- 0 No. of Civil Cases Tried 1,000+ peals. How- 0 No. of Criminal Cases Tried 1,000+ ever, Judge Guidry has no 0 No. of Jury Trials 100+ experience as a trial judge. Judge Guidry 0 No. of Murder Cases Tried 10+ As a result, he has never tried a civil case, never tried a criminal Note: Before being elected to the Court of Appeal from an inner city case, never conducted a jury trial, and never conducted a murder trial. district, Judge Guidry had only very limited experience as a practic- On the other hand, Judge Hughes ing attorney, while Judge Hughes practiced for 12 years and tried served as a District Court judge for 14 years and has extensive experi- hundreds of cases in court. ence as a trial judge. Louisiana Supreme Court See GOVERNOR on Page 8 2 LOUISIANA JUDICIAL REPORT December 2012 As a Boy, Jeff Hughes Grew Up in Denham Springs of 1950’s-1960’s In Hughes’ World, Home and Family, God and Country Meant Everything And They Still Do DENHAM SPRINGS — Court of Appeal Judge Jeff Hughes remem- bers growing up in Denham Springs in the 1950’s and 1960’s as very much like the TV series, Leave It to Beaver. “For us kids, life revolved around sports. We lived a couple of blocks from Denham Springs High. From LEAVE IT TO BEAVER — For Jeff Hughes (left), growing up at the Hughes household in Denham Springs was like the television the time I was six years old, I was series, Leave It to Beaver. “A wonderful life!” Hughes said. Shown are Paul, Barbara, dad J.D., mom Betty, and Jeff Hughes. at the school playing whatever sport was in season — before school, pop flies I could catch. No matter during recess, and after school.” how tired he was, he always made Through sports, Jeff made count- time for me,” the judge said. less friends who remain his friends Jeff remembers his dad coming more than 50 years later. in late at night from fighting forest “Our mom was the perfect moth- fires. A series of fire towers was er. She had dinner ready every used to sound the alarm. Jeff often night, washed the clothes, and took travelled with his dad. He watched us to practice. She has a degree in forests being replanted and learned chemistry and is very smart, but she the importance of conservation. was totally devoted to raising the Hunting and fishing were a big three of us,” Hughes remembers. part of life. “My dad gave me a Jeff was the oldest. Sister Barba- BB gun when I was 6. Later I got ra was two years younger and broth- a Benjamin pump. Then a .22. By er Paul was two years younger than the time I was 13, I had my first Barbara. “I was always very close shotgun.” to my brother and sister. Of course, “Growing up in Denham Springs we fought like cats and dogs! But was like life in Leave It to Beaver. we’re still close today. Very close.” My buddies and I would get on our Their dad, J.D. Hughes, was a bicycles and cover the entire town. forester and rose to be manager of We’d ride downtown, ride to the Crown Zellerbach’s forestry opera- woods, ride to the river. Our par- tions in the Florida Parishes. ents had no idea where we were. “Dad had a lot of responsibili- We just had to be home by dark. ties, and most days he would come We never got in any trouble.” home dog tired from a hard day. Besides his mom and dad, Jeff But I was always there waiting for says he was influenced by great him to pass me the football or hit Denham Springs High Yellow Jacket basketball team. Jeff is 2nd on 3rd row. See FAMILY on Page 8 A Pro-Life Champion for Supreme Court Vote Jeff Hughes Louisiana Supreme Court December 8, 2012 Paid for by Jeff Hughes Campaign, P. O. Box 14927, Baton Rouge, LA 70896 Website: www.JudgeJeff.com LOUISIANA JUDICIAL REPORT December 2012 3 Hughes Began as Scholar-Athlete At Denham Springs High School Jeff Hughes Was As National Merit Finalist, Future Judge Nat’l Merit Finalist, Was in Top 1/2 of 1% of Nation’s Youth Salutatorian at challenging. “I especially had to ate met in the Senate Chamber at study for Mr. Davis, who liked to the State Capitol, and it was my first ask trick questions,” Hughes said. introduction to politics,” he said. Largest School in Hughes finished his four years of Hughes was one of the state’s high school with straight A’s... ex- top basketball stars and was offered Livingston Parish cept for one B — one B too many, a basketball scholarship to the Uni- DENHAM SPRINGS — For young as it dropped him into a tie for Sa- versity of Southern Mississippi. Jeff Hughes, Denham Springs High lutatorian with Winton Aubert and However, his high SAT score and School was about opportunity — a allowed a girl to win Valedictorian, selection as a National Merit Fi- great high school in an All-Amer- a much-deserving Pat Glover. nalist drew the attention of LSU, ican city where he could achieve Hughes said his parents never which offered him a full academic success in academics, leadership, pressed him to make straight A’s. scholarship. and sports. “In the first grade, I came home In the end, Hughes chose not to Great teachers opened the door of with all A’s except for one B. My pursue a basketball career and de- opportunity for Hughes, allowing parents simply asked me if anyone cided instead to accept the academ- him to become one of Louisiana’s had made all A’s. I said yes and got ic scholarship to LSU. few National Merit Finalists — an the message. If they could do it, I honor achieved by fewer than 1/2 could do it!” of one percent of the students who At Denham Springs High, take the SAT test every year. Some Hughes was an officer of Key Club schools will go 20 years without International and had many oppor- having a National Merit Finalist. tunities to serve the Denham Springs Others never achieve that honor. JEFF HUGHES community through Key Club. At Denham Springs High, prin- gebra and trigonometry), Horace He was chosen to represent Den- cipal Grady Hornsby and teachers McCann (history), and Olen Davis ham Springs High at Pelican Boys such as Mrs.