--- title: "Keith Gates | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/keith-gates-winnfield-city-court-la" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # Keith Gates Winnfield City Court · City or Parish Court Judge ## Profile - Court: Winnfield City Court - State: Louisiana - Role: City or Parish Court Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-29 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - He also co-founded the Cause of Action Institute in Washington, D.C., litigating before federal agencies and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit Since 2021, Gates has held the role of Judge of the Winnfield City Court, presiding over civil, misdemeanor, and juvenile cases. - Law Clerk at Louisiana Supreme Court - Private Practice Attorney at Gates Law Firm - Early in his career, he clerked for Justice Jeffrey P. Victory at the Louisiana Supreme Court and practiced law in Lafayette ### Education - Louisiana State University — J.D. and B.C.L., 2007 - Northwestern State University — B.S., Business Administration, 2004 ### Additional information - City Attorney at City of Winnfield (until 2020). - City Prosecutor at City of Winnfield (2014-2020). - Keith Gates, born in 1982 in Natchitoches, Louisiana, is a highly accomplished legal professional and public servant. - Co-Founder and Senior Attorney at Cause of Action. - Recognized for fiscal responsibility, operating within budget constraints, and emphasizes transparency and community engagement in his judicial and legal work In addition to his judicial role, Gates teaches law courses at Northwestern State University in the Pre-Law Program, sharing his expertise with aspiring legal professionals. - handling civil litigation including personal injury and wrongful death cases. - His judicial duties include conducting arraignments, pleas, trials, sentencing, probation reviews, and acting as committing magistrate in felony cases. - He is also deeply involved in Masonic leadership, holding statewide offices, including Grand Junior Warden of the Grand Lodge of Louisiana, and has received the 33° in Freemasonry. - Graduated magna cum laude. ## 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.lasc.org/press_room/annual_reports/reports/2025_Guide_to_Louisiana_Courts.pdf) - [Official roster](https://www.lasc.org/press_room/annual_reports/reports/2025_Guide_to_Louisiana_Courts.pdf) - [Louisiana Supreme Court official judicial roster](https://www.lasc.org/press_room/annual_reports/reports/2025_Guide_to_Louisiana_Courts.pdf) - [Louisiana Code of Judicial Conduct, Canon 3A(9)](https://www.lasc.org/Court_Rules?p=CJC) - [LA Batch 12 supplied biography research source](http://winnparishjournal.com/2021/01/page/8/) - [LA Batch 12 supplied biography research source](http://winnparishjournal.com/winnfield-city-judge-keith-gates-speaks-to-rotary-club-of-winnfield/) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/keith-gates-winnfield-city-court-la", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/keith-gates-winnfield-city-court-la", "name": "Keith Gates | KnowJudges", "description": "Keith Gates, Winnfield City Court. 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Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory. [Official source](https://www.lasc.org/Court_Rules?p=CJC). Collected 2026-07-26.