Retired Louisiana Supreme Court Clerk of Court Frans J. Labranche, Jr. Dies At 89 - Press Release

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Retired Louisiana Supreme Court Clerk of Court Frans J. Labranche, Jr. Dies At 89 
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<p style="text-align:center;">&nbsp;</p><div align="left" style="text-align:center;"><table style="width:100%;background-color:#428bca;"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td bgcolor="#428bca" height="21" valign="middle" width="100%"><div align="center"><strong><span style="color:#ffffff;">2023 Press Releases</span></strong> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><table width="16%" style="width:1112px;"><tbody><tr></tr></tbody></table></div><table style="width:100%;text-align:center;"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td width="82" style="text-align:left;width:71px;">CONTACT:&nbsp;</td><td width="253" style="text-align:left;width:1039px;">Trina S. Vincent<br />504-310-2590 </td></tr></tbody></table><div align="left" style="text-align:center;"><table style="width:100%;border-spacing:3px;background-color:#f7ebc6;"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td width="38%" style="text-align:left;"><span style="color:#212073;text-transform:uppercase;"><strong>September 15, 2023</strong></span> </td><td width="62%"><p align="right"><span style="color:#212073;"><strong>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</strong></span> </p></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p style="text-align:center;"><strong></strong>&nbsp;</p><p style="text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase;"><strong>RETIRED LOUISIANA SUPREME COURT CLERK OF COURT FRANS J. LABRANCHE, JR. DIES AT 89 </strong> </p><p><strong>New Orleans</strong> - Retired Louisiana Supreme Clerk of Court Frans J. Labranche, Jr., 89, passed away on Friday, September 8, 2023. Mr. Labranche served at the state&rsquo;s high court for 18 years, serving as clerk of court from 1978-1996 and was a deputy clerk from 1977-1978.</p><p>Mr. Labranche earned his bachelor&rsquo;s degree from St. Joseph Seminary College and his juris doctor degree from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law in 1960. From 1961-1964, he served in the United States Air Force as a Judge Advocate General and as a reserve officer from 1964-1974. From 1964-1977, he worked in private practice until his appointment as a deputy clerk at the Louisiana Supreme Court. During his tenure at the Supreme Court, he served as president of the National Conference of Appellate Court Clerks.</p><p>Mr. Labranche was a member of the American, Louisiana State, and New Orleans Bar Associations. He also served as a member of the American Judicature Society, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, and the St. Thomas More Catholic Lawyers Association. He was a committed member of the St. Joseph Seminary Alumni Board, president of the Loyola Alumni Association and the Loyola Law Alumni Association, serving as its secretary, vice president, and president. He worked on the Loyola Law School Task Force on Legal Education. Mr. Labranche additionally worked as a lecturer in Business Law at Loyola and as an associate professor in Legal Medicine at Tulane University. </p><p>For his outstanding service professionally, to Loyola Law School and the community, Mr. Labranche was honored with the St. Ives Award and was awarded the J.O. Sentell Award for Leadership and outstanding service and the President&rsquo;s Award from the National Conference of Appellate Court Clerks. In the community, he was a member of the Knights of Columbus, American Legion and the Royal Order of the Hibernians. From 1981-1996, he served as an ordained permanent deacon in St. Jane de Chantal Parish in Abita Springs. He was an Archdiocese Spiritual Director in 1991 and was an instructor for the Diaconate Formation Program of social teachings from 1983-2016. He was appointed an Associate Judge of the Archdiocese of New Orleans Metropolitan Tribunal by Pope John Paul II in 1992 and served until 2013.</p><p>&ldquo;I am honored by the service of Mr. Labranche, who was one of my predecessors,&rdquo; said Louisiana Supreme Court Clerk of Court Veronica O. Koclanes. &ldquo;His unwavering commitment to public service, tireless efforts to improve the operations of the Clerk&rsquo;s Office and his legacy of professionalism have left an indelible mark on our Court.&rdquo; </p><p>Retired Louisiana Supreme Court Clerk of Court John T. Olivier said, &ldquo;Frans was my predecessor at the Supreme Court. In addition to being my mentor, he was very active in the National Conference of Appellate Court Clerks, serving as President and host for the conference. Frans strove to improve the Court&rsquo;s operations, moving it from cumbersome and weighty bound books, known affectionately as &ldquo;hernia&rdquo; books, to computerized data during his tenure.&rdquo;</p><p>He was married to the former Ms. Delphine LeBourgeois for 64 years; his family includes Michael Labranche (Shanna), Jeannine Gonzales (Edwin), Gregory Labranche (Andrea), Richard Labranche (Melissa-deceased), and Robert Labranche, twelve grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.</p><p><em><strong>Louisiana Supreme Court Mission:</strong> To preserve the integrity of the judiciary, to build and maintain public trust, to provide effective and efficient administration of justice in the Supreme Court, to ensure proper administration and performance of all courts under Supreme Court authority, and to ensure the highest professional conduct, integrity, and competence of the bench and bar.</em></p><p><strong>For more information visit <a href="/">lasc.org</a> or contact Louisiana Supreme Court Public Information Specialist/Coordinator Trina S. Vincent at <a href="mailto:tvincent@lasc.org">tvincent@lasc.org</a> or (504) 310-2590.</strong> </p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>-30-</strong></p><p>&nbsp;</p>
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