--- title: "Karelia R. Stewart | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/karelia-r-stewart-judge-louisiana-1st-judicial-district-court-section-1-division-d-la" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # Karelia R. Stewart Louisiana 1st Judicial District Court · Judge ## Profile - Court: Louisiana 1st Judicial District Court - State: Louisiana - Role: Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-26 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Elected without opposition in August 2014 to the seat previously held by her father, Judge Carl E. Stewart, former Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and her uncle, retired Judge James E. Stewart Sr - court: Louisiana 1st Judicial District Court · role: Judge · start date: 2014-10-01 · notes: Section 1 Division D, elected unopposed Aug 2014, youngest female 35, Family Court Division - Assistant District Attorney Caddo Parish Drug Division Chief — Caddo Parish DA - Adjunct professor Real Estate Law LSU Shreveport — LSU Shreveport - She also teaches Real Estate Law as an adjunct professor at Louisiana State University, Shreveport ### Education - Loyola University New Orleans College of Law — Law — J.D. (2004) - Dillard University — Political Science; cum laude — B.S. (2001) ### Additional information - Before becoming a judge, Stewart was an Assistant District Attorney for Caddo Parish for eight years - handling hundreds of juvenile and felony bench/jury trials. - As Section Chief of the Drug Division, she revived the Drug Court program and implemented a Veterans Court - The first African American second‐generation judge in its history - She remains active in her judicial duties, community service, and professional leadership roles - She is active in the National Bar Association, National Association of Women Judges, American Judges Association, and the Harry V. Booth & Henry A. Politz American Inns of Court. - Judge Stewart has served on the Louisiana State Bar Association’s Board of Governors, the Young Lawyers Division, and the House of Delegates. ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### electronic or photographic presentation of evidence Scope: statewide Louisiana trial judges may authorize electronic or photographic means for presenting evidence, preserving the record, counsel use, or judicial-administration purposes. Evidence excerpt: A trial judge may authorize ... the use of electronic or photographic means for the presentation of evidence [Louisiana Code of Judicial Conduct, Canon 3A(9)](https://www.lasc.org/Court_Rules?p=CJC) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### broadcast recording photography Scope: statewide Louisiana judges generally prohibit broadcasting, televising, recording, or photographing courtroom proceedings unless a Canon 3A(9) exception applies. Evidence excerpt: a judge shall prohibit broadcasting, televising, recording, or taking photographs in the courtroom [Louisiana Code of Judicial Conduct, Canon 3A(9)](https://www.lasc.org/Court_Rules?p=CJC) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### appellate extended media coverage Scope: statewide Louisiana appellate courts may permit extended media coverage in public appellate proceedings, subject to the authority of the court and presiding judge or panel. Evidence excerpt: An appellate court may permit broadcasting, televising, recording, and taking photographs of public judicial proceedings [Louisiana Code of Judicial Conduct, Canon 3A(9)](https://www.lasc.org/Court_Rules?p=CJC) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.louisianajudiciary.com/judges/karelia-r-stewart/) - [Official roster](https://www.louisianajudiciary.com/judges/karelia-r-stewart/) - [Louisiana Judiciary public directory official judicial roster](https://www.louisianajudiciary.com/judges/karelia-r-stewart/) - [Louisiana Code of Judicial Conduct, Canon 3A(9)](https://www.lasc.org/Court_Rules?p=CJC) - [Supplied Louisiana biography research](https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/karelia-r-stewart-judge-louisiana-1st-judicial-district-court-section-1-division-d-la) - [Supplied Louisiana biography research](https://www.lsba.org) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/karelia-r-stewart-judge-louisiana-1st-judicial-district-court-section-1-division-d-la", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/karelia-r-stewart-judge-louisiana-1st-judicial-district-court-section-1-division-d-la", "name": "Karelia R. 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