Six Candidates Compete for Three New Orleans Judgeships

The Orleans Parish Criminal District Court holds elections after the state legislature reduced the number of judicial seats.

Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Criminal Justice

Six Candidates Compete for Three New Orleans Judgeships

Live Poll

Do you believe reducing the number of local judges improves the efficiency of your court system?

Six candidates are vying for three judicial seats at the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court. The election follows a decision by the Louisiana Legislature to eliminate three positions to align local court operations with other parishes.

Why it matters

The legislative reduction aims to increase judicial efficiency across the district court, which is now operating with a total of nine seats. Voters are deciding on candidates for the Section H and Section D seats as well as the magistrate position.

Candidates are competing for three vacancies at the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court. These elections follow legislative action taken earlier this year to reduce the total number of judgeships.

The players

Camille Buras

She is a judicial candidate running for the Section H seat at the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court.

Leon Roche

He is a judicial candidate competing against Camille Buras for the Section H seat.

Simone Levine

She is a judicial candidate running for the Section D seat.

Kimya Holmes

She is a judicial candidate who has served on the bench for 6 years and has presided over more than 100 jury trials.

Juana Lombard

She is a magistrate judge at the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court currently seeking election.

The details

Candidates participated in a judicial forum in New Orleans on Monday night to discuss their qualifications for the bench. The races include contests between Camille Buras and Leon Roche, Simone Levine and Kimya Holmes, and Chanel Debose versus Magistrate Judge Juana Lombard.

Earlier this year, the Louisiana Legislature eliminated three judicial seats.
Candidates participated in a judicial forum on Monday night, October 19, 2026.
Early voting for the judicial races begins Tuesday, October 20, 2026.

Legal Context

The current election cycle operates under the Louisiana Legislature's court efficiency mandates, which were designed to consolidate judicial resources across local parishes. This transition marks a shift in how the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court structures its internal bench capacity.

Local residents will see changes to the bench as these judicial seats are filled following the legislative reduction. The start of early voting on Tuesday offers citizens the opportunity to participate in shaping the leadership of the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court.

The takeaway

Voters are encouraged to research the backgrounds of judicial candidates as these officials will oversee the court system with reduced staffing. The outcome of these races will directly determine the leadership and oversight of criminal proceedings in the parish for the coming term.