Celebrating 200 Years

Joe W. Sanders (1915-1994)

Associate Justice, Supreme Court of Louisiana, November 7, 1960, to March 13, 1973

Chief Justice, March 14, 1973, to December 31, 1978

Born May 31, 1915 at Pleasant Hill, Louisiana • Grew up on family farm in Sabine Parish • Graduated from Louisiana State University with B.A. 1935 and LL.B. 1938 • Student body president 1937-38 • Practiced law in Many, Louisiana • Elected state representative in 1940 at age 24 • Married Marie Sistrunk 1940 • Served in Europe as captain in Army Judge Advocate General Corps 1942-46 • Established law practice in Baton Rouge • Won national attention as judge of new Family Court of East Baton Rouge Parish • Elected associate justice in 1960 • Elected to full fourteen-year term in 1964 • Became chief justice in 1973 following three chiefs in three years • Instrumental in establishing Louisiana Judicial College, Judicial Planning Committee, and Committee on Court Records Maintenance • Advocated modern Code of Judicial Conduct • Following dispute with Governor Edwards over outcome of a libel case, decided not to seek re-election • Received honorary LL.D. from William Mitchell College of Law • Retired December 31, 1978 • Visiting professor at Louisiana State and Southern University law schools and chair of Louisiana Board of Ethics for Elected Officials • Active on committees studying juvenile and family law issues • Died June 8, 1994 in Baton Rouge •