Carl E. Stewart
Encyclopedia
Carl E. Stewart is a judge
of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
. Appointed by Bill Clinton
in 1994, Stewart previously sat on Louisiana
's Second Court of Appeal, and served as an accomplished judge, attorney, prosecutor, and professor. Stewart, who has been honored multiple times for his commitment to community service, is the first African-American ever to serve on the Fifth Circuit as it is currently constituted.
in 1950. As a teenager in the 1960s, Stewart witnessed the civil rights struggle of the era, and saw how the legal system could be used to bring about positive social change. Inspired, Stewart decided to dedicate his life to helping people through the legal system. He graduated from Dillard University
in New Orleans magna cum laude in 1971 and earned his Juris Doctor
(J.D.) degree from Loyola University
in 1974.
's Corps. As a captain, he served as a defense attorney for soldiers at Fort Sam Houston
in Texas
. After an honorable discharge, Stewart worked as an associate in a small private law firm. He joined a field office of the Louisiana Attorney General
William J. "Billy" Guste, Jr., in 1978.
In 1979, Stewart became an Assistant U.S. Attorney, and worked on a variety of cases. He prosecuted a loan shark who preyed on the poor, a sheriff
who paid for votes during a reelection bid, and an unscrupulous land owner who filed false flood relief claims with the federal government
. Stewart received a letter of commendation from the Justice Department
for his work on a civil rights case in 1982 and 1983.
Stewart left the Justice Department in 1983 to go into private practice in Shreveport, and work as an Adjunct Professor at Louisiana State University
. In 1985, he won election to a six year term as a District Judge in Louisiana. At the conclusion of the term, Stewart was elected to the state's Second Circuit Court of Appeal.
In 1989, Stewart was praised for his judicial performance. The defunct 'Shreveport Journal', which sponsored the survey of judges, declared that Stewart had "nearly swept the ratings." One local attorney described Stewart as "a splendid judge, excellent in every respect." Other attorneys lauded his "fine judicial manner," his fairness and concern for "judicial economy." Stewart, one attorney said, "is careful to treat all parties with the same attitude and concern."
In 1994, President Bill Clinton appointed Stewart to the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
. He is a member of the Black Lawyers Association of Shreveport Bossier; the National, Federal, Louisiana and Shreveport Bar Associations; and the Federal Judges Association. Stewart is also a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association Diversity Committee, the National Bar Association Judicial Council, Louis Westerfield Legal Society and the Just the Beginning Foundation of African-American Federal Judges. Finally, Stewart is the chairman of the Advisory Committee on the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure of the Judicial Conference of the United States.
Stewart has also served his community in many capacities. Stewart serves on the Centenary College of Louisiana
Board of Trustees and the Louisiana State University-Shreveport Chancellor’s Advisory Committee. He is a past President of the Community Foundation of Shreveport-Bossier, and past board member of the KDAQ Public Radio Advisory Board. He is a board member of the Norwela Council Boy Scouts of America
where he has served as Council President and as Local Council Representative, National Council of Boy Scouts of America. At the national level, he is chairman of the Whitney M. Young, Jr. National Service Award Selection Committee for Boy Scouts of America and is a member of the Boy Scouts of America National Scoutreach
Committee. Stewart is also an active member of St. James United Methodist Church.
, the Silver Antelope Award
, and the Silver Buffalo Award
. He has received the Clyde E. Fant Memorial Award for Outstanding Community Service, the 2008 A.P. Tureaud Achievement Award from the Loyola University School of Law Black Law Students Association, and the 2008 The Times Leadership Award sponsored by the Shreveport Times and the Alliance for Education. Stewart also was named Louisiana Outstanding Young Man of the Year by the Louisiana Chapter of the Jaycees and won the Black Leader of the Year award from the Southern University Shreveport-Bossier Afro-American Society.
Stewart frequently addresses student and professional groups, emphasizing the importance of educational achievement and community service, and the need for African-American role models in business and public service.
in Irving, TX, and Judge James E. Stewart, Sr., serves on Louisiana's Second Circuit Court of Appeal.
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 Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Eastern District of Louisiana* Middle District of Louisiana...
. Appointed by Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
in 1994, Stewart previously sat on Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
's Second Court of Appeal, and served as an accomplished judge, attorney, prosecutor, and professor. Stewart, who has been honored multiple times for his commitment to community service, is the first African-American ever to serve on the Fifth Circuit as it is currently constituted.
Background
Stewart was born to Corine and Richard Stewart, a postal worker, in Shreveport, LouisianaShreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
in 1950. As a teenager in the 1960s, Stewart witnessed the civil rights struggle of the era, and saw how the legal system could be used to bring about positive social change. Inspired, Stewart decided to dedicate his life to helping people through the legal system. He graduated from Dillard University
Dillard University
Dillard University is a private, historically black liberal arts college in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded in 1930 incorporating earlier institutions that went back to 1869, it is affiliated with the United Church of Christ and the United Methodist Church....
in New Orleans magna cum laude in 1971 and earned his Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
(J.D.) degree from Loyola University
Loyola University New Orleans
Loyola University New Orleans is a private, co-educational and Jesuit university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Originally established as Loyola College in 1904, the institution was chartered as a university in 1912. It bears the name of the Jesuit patron, Saint Ignatius of Loyola...
in 1974.
Career
Later in 1974, Stewart entered the U.S. Army in the Judge Advocate GeneralJudge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Army
The Judge Advocate General's Corps of the United States Army is composed of Army officers who are also lawyers and who provide legal services to the Army at all levels of command. The Judge Advocate General's Legal Service includes judge advocates, warrant officers, paralegal noncommissioned...
's Corps. As a captain, he served as a defense attorney for soldiers at Fort Sam Houston
Fort Sam Houston
Fort Sam Houston is a U.S. Army post in San Antonio, Texas.Known colloquially as "Fort Sam," it is named for the first President of the Republic of Texas, Sam Houston....
in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. After an honorable discharge, Stewart worked as an associate in a small private law firm. He joined a field office of the Louisiana Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
William J. "Billy" Guste, Jr., in 1978.
In 1979, Stewart became an Assistant U.S. Attorney, and worked on a variety of cases. He prosecuted a loan shark who preyed on the poor, a sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
who paid for votes during a reelection bid, and an unscrupulous land owner who filed false flood relief claims with the federal government
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
. Stewart received a letter of commendation from the Justice Department
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
for his work on a civil rights case in 1982 and 1983.
Stewart left the Justice Department in 1983 to go into private practice in Shreveport, and work as an Adjunct Professor at Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
. In 1985, he won election to a six year term as a District Judge in Louisiana. At the conclusion of the term, Stewart was elected to the state's Second Circuit Court of Appeal.
In 1989, Stewart was praised for his judicial performance. The defunct 'Shreveport Journal', which sponsored the survey of judges, declared that Stewart had "nearly swept the ratings." One local attorney described Stewart as "a splendid judge, excellent in every respect." Other attorneys lauded his "fine judicial manner," his fairness and concern for "judicial economy." Stewart, one attorney said, "is careful to treat all parties with the same attitude and concern."
In 1994, President Bill Clinton appointed Stewart to the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Legal & Community Involvement
Throughout his career, Stewart has been active in an array of legal professional organizations. He is a charter member of the Harry V. Booth and Judge Henry A. Politz Chapter of American Inns of Court in Shreveport. He also serves as a Trustee of the American Inns of Court FoundationAmerican Inns of Court Foundation
American Inns of Court are designed to improve the skills, professionalism and ethics of the bench and bar. An American Inn of Court is an amalgam of judges, lawyers, and in some cases, law professors and law students...
. He is a member of the Black Lawyers Association of Shreveport Bossier; the National, Federal, Louisiana and Shreveport Bar Associations; and the Federal Judges Association. Stewart is also a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association Diversity Committee, the National Bar Association Judicial Council, Louis Westerfield Legal Society and the Just the Beginning Foundation of African-American Federal Judges. Finally, Stewart is the chairman of the Advisory Committee on the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure of the Judicial Conference of the United States.
Stewart has also served his community in many capacities. Stewart serves on the Centenary College of Louisiana
Centenary College of Louisiana
Centenary College of Louisiana is a primarily undergraduate, liberal arts and sciences college in Shreveport, Louisiana. The college is one of the founding members of the Associated Colleges of the South, a pedagogical organization consisting of sixteen Southern liberal arts colleges...
Board of Trustees and the Louisiana State University-Shreveport Chancellor’s Advisory Committee. He is a past President of the Community Foundation of Shreveport-Bossier, and past board member of the KDAQ Public Radio Advisory Board. He is a board member of the Norwela Council Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
where he has served as Council President and as Local Council Representative, National Council of Boy Scouts of America. At the national level, he is chairman of the Whitney M. Young, Jr. National Service Award Selection Committee for Boy Scouts of America and is a member of the Boy Scouts of America National Scoutreach
Scoutreach
The Scoutreach Division of the Boy Scouts of America emphasizes service to rural and urban areas and to minority populations. The African American Focus works with African American populations in partnerships with the NAACP, various the African American churches and other groups...
Committee. Stewart is also an active member of St. James United Methodist Church.
Honors & Public Speaking
Stewart has received numerous awards for his contributions to charitable and educational endeavors including the Liberty Bell Award presented by the Shreveport Bar Association, Dillard University’s Distinguished Alumnus of the Year; and the Raymond Pace Alexander Award and the Judge William H. Hastie Award presented by the National Bar Association Judicial Council. The Boy Scouts of America honored Stewart with its highest awards for volunteer service to youth on the local, regional and national levels: the Silver Beaver AwardSilver Beaver Award
The Silver Beaver Award is the council-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America. Recipients of this award are registered adult leaders who have made an impact on the lives of youth through service given to the council...
, the Silver Antelope Award
Silver Antelope Award
The Silver Antelope Award is the regional-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America and recognizes outstanding service to young people within one of the four regions of the BSA...
, and the Silver Buffalo Award
Silver Buffalo Award
The Silver Buffalo Award is the national-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America. It is presented for noteworthy and extraordinary service to youth on a national basis, either as part of, or independent of the Scouting program...
. He has received the Clyde E. Fant Memorial Award for Outstanding Community Service, the 2008 A.P. Tureaud Achievement Award from the Loyola University School of Law Black Law Students Association, and the 2008 The Times Leadership Award sponsored by the Shreveport Times and the Alliance for Education. Stewart also was named Louisiana Outstanding Young Man of the Year by the Louisiana Chapter of the Jaycees and won the Black Leader of the Year award from the Southern University Shreveport-Bossier Afro-American Society.
Stewart frequently addresses student and professional groups, emphasizing the importance of educational achievement and community service, and the need for African-American role models in business and public service.
Publications
Publications authored by Stewart include: Contemporary Challenges to Judicial Independence, LOYOLA LAW REVIEW, Loyola University School of Law, 1997; Balancing Professionalism, Ethics Quality of Life and the Successful Practice of Law, THE SOUTHWESTERN LEGAL FOUNDATION, PROCEEDINGS OF THE FORTY-FIFTH ANNUAL INSTITUTE ON LABOR LAW DEVELOPMENTS, 1999; and Abuse of Power & Judicial Misconduct: A Reflection on Contemporary Ethical Issues Facing Judges, THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS LAW JOURNAL, The University of St. Thomas School of Law, 2003.Family
Stewart has been married since 1972 to Jo Ann Southall Stewart, a registered nurse. They have three children and three grandchildren. Stewart's two brothers also are distinguished attorneys: Captain Richard G. Stewart, Jr., is Assistant General Counsel to Verizon CommunicationsVerizon Communications
Verizon Communications Inc. is a global broadband and telecommunications company and a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average...
in Irving, TX, and Judge James E. Stewart, Sr., serves on Louisiana's Second Circuit Court of Appeal.