Adrian G. Duplantier
Encyclopedia
Adrian Guy Duplantier, Sr. (March 5, 1929 – August 15, 2007), served from May 31, 1978, until his death as a judge
of the United States District Court
for the Eastern District of Louisiana
. He was also a former four-term Democratic
member of the Louisiana State Senate
, having represented Orleans Parish.
in his native New Orleans. He then attended Loyola University School of Law, from which he graduated cum laude in 1949. He was editor-in-chief of the Loyola Law Review from 1948 to 1949. He was appointed to the federal bench by U.S. President Jimmy Carter
. In 1988, Judge Duplantier earned a master of laws
degree from the University of Virginia
Law School in Charlottesville
.
Duplantier was in private practice from 1950 to 1974. He was first assistant district attorney for Orleans Parish from 1954 to 1956. In 1960, he was cited by the Junior Chamber of Commerce as the "Outstanding Young Man in the Greater New Orleans Area".
to the Louisiana governorship. In 1962, he ran unsuccessfully for mayor
of New Orleans, having been endorsed by the retiring deLesseps Story "Chep" Morrison, Sr., who had also been Davis' principal opponent in the 1959-1960 election cycle. Though he received 96.7 percent of the African American vote in the primary runoff, Duplantier was defeated by Victor H. Schiro
, the last segregationist to have been mayor of the "Crescent City". Schiro then handily prevailed in the general election
over the Republican
Elliot Ross Buckley, an attorney and a cousin
of newspaper
columnist
William F. Buckley, Jr.
Duplantier was re-elected to the Senate in 1964, 1968, and 1972, having served under the two terms of Governor
John McKeithen
, another Morrison rival, and the first two years of Edwin Washington Edwards' first term.
On August 8, 1991 Duplantier struck down an anti-abortion
law passed by the Louisiana legislature over the veto
of then Republican Governor Charles E. "Buddy" Roemer, III
. The judge said that the statute conflicted with the 1973 United States Supreme Court opinion, Roe v. Wade, and he was legally bound to strike it down though such action was not his personal preference.
In 1996, Duplantier was appointed by then Chief Justice
William H. Rehnquist to serve as chairman of the Advisory Committee on Bankruptcy
Rules.
Duplantier and two other Louisiana Democrats, former State Treasurer
Mary Evelyn Parker
and former State Representative Risley C. Triche
of Napoleonville
in Assumption Parish
, were interviewed for the 2001 book Welfare Racism: Playing the Race Card Against America's Poor. The three testified to their personal knowledge of racism
in 1960-1961 in Louisiana against African American
public assistance recipients.
, a Catholic men's organization, and was an active parishioner of Saint Francis Cabrini and St. Pius X churches in New Orleans. He was also a fisherman
and a gardener. He was a part-time professor at Loyola Law School. He was active in the alumni associations of Jesuit High School and Loyola University as well as Catholic Charities, the Association of Retarded Citizens and the Boys Hope / Girls Hope (BHGH) organization and was a co-founder of the New Orleans branch of BHGH. Jesuit High School inducted Judge Duplantier into its Hall of Honors.
Duplantier was a member of the board of directors of the Louisiana chapter of the French-American Chamber of Commerce
, and in 2002, he was the first non-French citizen to be inducted into the honorary "Compagnons de Beaujolais." Other memberships included the American, Louisiana, and New Orleans bar associations, the Louisiana State Law Institute and the Louisiana Bar Foundation.
Duplantier died of pancreatic cancer
. He was married for fifty-six years to the former Sally Thomas, who survived him. His children include Adrian G. "Casey" Duplantier, Jr., and wife Kay of Williamsburg, Virginia
, David L. Duplantier and wife Melanie of Madisonville, Thomas R. Duplantier and wife Susan of Lafayette
, Jeanne Marie Duplantier and partner Leigh and Louise Marie Cragin and husband Tim, both couples of New Orleans, and John "Sandy" Duplantier and wife Suzie of Mandeville
. Duplantier had two sisters, Yvonne Pugh of San Antonio, TX, and Audrey Cerise of New Orleans; and six brothers, Warren Duplantier of Houston and the late F. Robert, Crozet, Leon, Earl and L. Robert Duplantier. He had fifteen grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. David, Thomas, and John Duplantier, like their father, are Loyola Law School alumni. So is a grandson, Joshua Duplantier.
Services were held on August 18, 2007, at Jesuit High School in the chapel of North American Martyrs. Entombment was at Lake Lawn Mausoleum
in New Orleans.
He is remembered through the Judge Adrian G. Duplantier Memorial Fund, Loyola University School of Law, 7214 St. Charles Ave., Box 909, New Orleans, LA 70118. Prior to his death, Judge Duplantier was honored with an award from the Federal Judges Association created to acknowledge his accomplishments. The award will henceforth be known as "The Adrian."
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
of the United States District Court
United States district court
The United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. Both civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of law, equity, and admiralty. There is a United States bankruptcy court associated with each United States...
for the Eastern District of Louisiana
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana is a federal trial court based in New Orleans. Like all U.S...
. He was also a former four-term Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
member of the Louisiana State Senate
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
, having represented Orleans Parish.
Early years
Duplantier graduated in 1945 from the Roman Catholic-Jesuit High SchoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in his native New Orleans. He then attended Loyola University School of Law, from which he graduated cum laude in 1949. He was editor-in-chief of the Loyola Law Review from 1948 to 1949. He was appointed to the federal bench by U.S. President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
. In 1988, Judge Duplantier earned a master of laws
Master of Laws
The Master of Laws is an advanced academic degree, pursued by those holding a professional law degree, and is commonly abbreviated LL.M. from its Latin name, Legum Magister. The University of Oxford names its taught masters of laws B.C.L...
degree from the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
Law School in Charlottesville
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
.
Duplantier was in private practice from 1950 to 1974. He was first assistant district attorney for Orleans Parish from 1954 to 1956. In 1960, he was cited by the Junior Chamber of Commerce as the "Outstanding Young Man in the Greater New Orleans Area".
State senate service
In 1960, Duplantier, a civil rights advocate, was elected to the state Senate at the time of the return of segregationist James Houston "Jimmie" DavisJimmie Davis
James Houston Davis , better known as Jimmie Davis, was a noted singer of both sacred and popular songs who served two nonconsecutive terms as the 47th Governor of Louisiana...
to the Louisiana governorship. In 1962, he ran unsuccessfully for mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of New Orleans, having been endorsed by the retiring deLesseps Story "Chep" Morrison, Sr., who had also been Davis' principal opponent in the 1959-1960 election cycle. Though he received 96.7 percent of the African American vote in the primary runoff, Duplantier was defeated by Victor H. Schiro
Victor H. Schiro
Victor Hugo "Vic" Schiro , was an American New Orleans, Louisiana, politician who served on the City Council and as Mayor from 1961 - 1970.- Early life and political career :...
, the last segregationist to have been mayor of the "Crescent City". Schiro then handily prevailed in the general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
over the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Elliot Ross Buckley, an attorney and a cousin
Cousin
In kinship terminology, a cousin is a relative with whom one shares one or more common ancestors. The term is rarely used when referring to a relative in one's immediate family where there is a more specific term . The term "blood relative" can be used synonymously and establishes the existence of...
of newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
columnist
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
William F. Buckley, Jr.
William F. Buckley, Jr.
William Frank Buckley, Jr. was an American conservative author and commentator. He founded the political magazine National Review in 1955, hosted 1,429 episodes of the television show Firing Line from 1966 until 1999, and was a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist. His writing was noted for...
Duplantier was re-elected to the Senate in 1964, 1968, and 1972, having served under the two terms of Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
John McKeithen
John McKeithen
John Julian McKeithen was the 49th Governor of Louisiana, serving from 1964 to 1972. A Democrat from the town of Columbia, he was the first governor of his state in the twentieth century to serve two consecutive terms...
, another Morrison rival, and the first two years of Edwin Washington Edwards' first term.
As district judge
Duplantier resigned from the Senate in 1974 to become a judge of the Civil District Court in New Orleans, where he served until his appointment to the federal bench four years later. He served on the court until his death, having assumed senior status in 1994.On August 8, 1991 Duplantier struck down an anti-abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
law passed by the Louisiana legislature over the veto
Veto
A veto, Latin for "I forbid", is the power of an officer of the state to unilaterally stop an official action, especially enactment of a piece of legislation...
of then Republican Governor Charles E. "Buddy" Roemer, III
Buddy Roemer
Charles Elson "Buddy" Roemer III is an American politician who served as the 52nd Governor of Louisiana, from 1988 to 1992. He was elected as a Democrat but switched to the Republican Party on March 11, 1991...
. The judge said that the statute conflicted with the 1973 United States Supreme Court opinion, Roe v. Wade, and he was legally bound to strike it down though such action was not his personal preference.
In 1996, Duplantier was appointed by then Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
William H. Rehnquist to serve as chairman of the Advisory Committee on Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
Rules.
Duplantier and two other Louisiana Democrats, former State Treasurer
State Treasurer
In the state governments of the United States, 49 of the 50 states have the executive position of treasurer. Texas abolished the position of Texas State Treasurer in 1996....
Mary Evelyn Parker
Mary Evelyn Parker
Mary Evelyn Dickerson Parker is a former Democratic state treasurer of Louisiana, having served from 1968-1987. She was the first woman to have held the position. Prior to her tenure as treasurer, she held several appointed positions in state government...
and former State Representative Risley C. Triche
Risley C. Triche
Risley Claiborne Triche, also known as Pappy Triche , is an attorney in Napoleonville, Louisiana, who served as a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1955-1976...
of Napoleonville
Napoleonville, Louisiana
Napoleonville is a village in and the parish seat of Assumption Parish, in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The population was 686 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Pierre Part Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
in Assumption Parish
Assumption Parish, Louisiana
Assumption Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana, and was formed in 1807 as an original parish of the Louisiana Territory. Its parish seat is Napoleonville. In 2000, its population was 23,388. Assumption is one of the 22 Acadiana parishes. Its major product is sugarcane...
, were interviewed for the 2001 book Welfare Racism: Playing the Race Card Against America's Poor. The three testified to their personal knowledge of racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
in 1960-1961 in Louisiana against African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
public assistance recipients.
Personal life
Duplantier was a member of the Knights of ColumbusKnights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
, a Catholic men's organization, and was an active parishioner of Saint Francis Cabrini and St. Pius X churches in New Orleans. He was also a fisherman
Fisherman
A fisherman or fisher is someone who captures fish and other animals from a body of water, or gathers shellfish. Worldwide, there are about 38 million commercial and subsistence fishermen and fish farmers. The term can also be applied to recreational fishermen and may be used to describe both men...
and a gardener. He was a part-time professor at Loyola Law School. He was active in the alumni associations of Jesuit High School and Loyola University as well as Catholic Charities, the Association of Retarded Citizens and the Boys Hope / Girls Hope (BHGH) organization and was a co-founder of the New Orleans branch of BHGH. Jesuit High School inducted Judge Duplantier into its Hall of Honors.
Duplantier was a member of the board of directors of the Louisiana chapter of the French-American Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
, and in 2002, he was the first non-French citizen to be inducted into the honorary "Compagnons de Beaujolais." Other memberships included the American, Louisiana, and New Orleans bar associations, the Louisiana State Law Institute and the Louisiana Bar Foundation.
Duplantier died of pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
. He was married for fifty-six years to the former Sally Thomas, who survived him. His children include Adrian G. "Casey" Duplantier, Jr., and wife Kay of Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg is an independent city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 Census, the city had an estimated population of 14,068. It is bordered by James City County and York County, and is an independent city...
, David L. Duplantier and wife Melanie of Madisonville, Thomas R. Duplantier and wife Susan of Lafayette
Lafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census...
, Jeanne Marie Duplantier and partner Leigh and Louise Marie Cragin and husband Tim, both couples of New Orleans, and John "Sandy" Duplantier and wife Suzie of Mandeville
Mandeville, Louisiana
Mandeville is a city in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 12,421 in 2008. Mandeville is located on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain, south of Interstate 12. It is across the lake from the city of New Orleans and its southshore suburbs...
. Duplantier had two sisters, Yvonne Pugh of San Antonio, TX, and Audrey Cerise of New Orleans; and six brothers, Warren Duplantier of Houston and the late F. Robert, Crozet, Leon, Earl and L. Robert Duplantier. He had fifteen grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. David, Thomas, and John Duplantier, like their father, are Loyola Law School alumni. So is a grandson, Joshua Duplantier.
Services were held on August 18, 2007, at Jesuit High School in the chapel of North American Martyrs. Entombment was at Lake Lawn Mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
in New Orleans.
He is remembered through the Judge Adrian G. Duplantier Memorial Fund, Loyola University School of Law, 7214 St. Charles Ave., Box 909, New Orleans, LA 70118. Prior to his death, Judge Duplantier was honored with an award from the Federal Judges Association created to acknowledge his accomplishments. The award will henceforth be known as "The Adrian."