| Voter's Guide, 2020 Spring Elections, Baton Rouge, Baton Rouge
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| Position | District Judge, 19th Judicial District Court, ES 2, Div. M | | Name | Yvette Alexander | | Party Affiliation | Democrat | | Profession | Judge | | Present Employer / position | City of Baton Rouge/ Judge | | Length of residence in Jurisdiction | 43 years | | List of educational institutions and degrees | Grambling State University, Bachelor of Arts
Louisiana State University Law School, Juris Doctorate | | Prior elected and appointed positions | Chief Legal Counsel, Secretary of State
Chief Judge, Baton Rouge City Court
Past Chair, National Bar Association Judicial Council
Past President, LA Judicial Council
Past President, Louis A. Martinet Society
President- Elect, American Judges Association | | Civic involvement and affiliations | Shiloh Baptist Church
NAACP, Life Member
National Association of Women Judges
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Life Member
I Count Because I Vote |
Questions specific to the position
| 1. How many years of trial experience do you have? How does that breakdown between civil and criminal court trials, and between jury and judge trials?
| I have over 40 years of trial experience. I practiced law for 17 years before being elected to the Baton Rouge City Court almost 25 years ago. During that time I practiced both civil and criminal law. I worked in the East Baton Rouge Public Defender's office which is totally a criminal law practice. I was Chief Counsel for the Secretary of State which was totally a civil practice. I have had both jury and judge trials; however, most of my experience comes from being the Judge in thousands of both criminal and civil trials in Baton Rouge. | | 2. What do you consider to be your greatest strength for this position?
| My greatest strength is judicial experience. During my tenure on the bench, I have honed my skill set as a Judge. More specifically in the areas of demeanor, sound reasoning, judgment and application/analysis of the law. I have been an active sitting Judge for almost 25 years, presiding over thousands of criminal and civil cases. My passion for hearing cases, both criminal and civil, has driven me to pursue this position. | | 3. What factors would you consider in granting and setting bail amounts and in granting (non-bail) sign out bonds for defendants? What do you believe is the primary consideration?
| The primary consideration for bail is the probability that the defendant will return to court in respect to the charged offense. The factors to be considered are the likelihood of the person appearing in court in relation to the offense, the likelihood of the person while released committing another offense, the likelihood of the person interfering with evidence, intimidating a witness or otherwise obstructing justice and the interests of the public. | | 4. What are your beliefs regarding alternative sentences for non-violent offenders, juveniles, or people experiencing homelessness, mental illness, or drug addiction?
| I am a strong proponent of alternative sentencing and speciality courts. Courts should consider mitigating circumstances and individualized background information, particularly for non violent offenders. In sentencing I believe that alternative sentences provide judges the unique opportunity to address homelessness, mental illness, drug and alcohol addiction and other social issues; herein, allowing judges to focus on rehabilitation rather than purely punitive measures. | | 5. What are the biggest hurdles to achieving fairness for all defendants, regardless of their socioeconomic status, and how would you address those hurdles?
| The biggest hurdles to achieving fairness for all defendants are implicit bias and access to judicial resources. I address implicit bias in my courtroom by ensuring fairness to all regardless of socioeconomic status and by serving as a barometer for others around me to do the same. Having access to judicial resources means more than just having access to an attorney; it means that one has the necessary tools to ask the proper questions, find essential information and hold others accountable in their pursuit of justice. I address the fact that many do not have access to judicial resources by empowering constituents in my community through educational programming, community visibility and seminars.
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