THE JUSTICES OF THE SUPREME COURT OF LOUISIANA 1865-1880

By Evelyn L. Wilson Eighteen Justices served on the Supreme Court of Louisiana during the period 1865 to 1880. The Civil War and Reconstruction years were not easy for any of these men. Sentiment ran high and violence was common. Criticism was as harsh as it was unwarranted. The justices selected to serve in 1865 and 1868 were, generally, Republicans and supporters of the Union. Most of the lawyers practicing before them were Democrats who had fought for or supported the Confederacy. Operating in the face of open hostility, the court faced the task of bringing order to chaos as most courts had been closed during the war. In 1877, the era of Reconstruction ended when Democrats gained control of the state. The set of justices appointed in 1877 had been committed to the Confederacy and were opposed to the federal presence in the state. Though considered political conservatives, they were judicial activists, bending the law to ensure that justice, as they perceived it, prevailed. They were