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Yelverton entered public service in 1961 as first assistant district attorney for the 14th Judicial District. For the next decade he was legal counsel for the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury and School Board, and the Airport Authority. In the spring of 1971, then [[Governor]] [[John J. McKeithen]] appointed his fellow [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], Yelverton, to a 14th Judicial District judgeship, a position that he held for eleven years. As a trial judge, Yelverton argued for the acceleration of court business to avoid long  delays. At the conclusion of his tenure on the District Court, Yelverton was recognized by the Supreme Court Judicial Administrator for his promptness in deciding cases. He made several court changes, including the hearing of criminal [[plea bargain]]s in open court, rather than in the judge’s chambers. He also instituted a jury pool system to accelerate the selection of jurors. In 1975, the Louisiana Supreme Court asked Yelverton to help develop a procedure to alleviate the docket of the state Court of Appeal, 1st Circuit in Baton Rouge.<ref name=obit/>​

Yelverton entered public service in 1961 as first assistant district attorney for the 14th Judicial District. For the next decade he was legal counsel for the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury and School Board, and the Airport Authority. In the spring of 1971, then [[Governor]] [[John J. McKeithen]] appointed his fellow [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], Yelverton, to a 14th Judicial District judgeship, a position that he held for eleven years. As a trial judge, Yelverton argued for the acceleration of court business to avoid long  delays. At the conclusion of his tenure on the District Court, Yelverton was recognized by the Supreme Court Judicial Administrator for his promptness in deciding cases. He made several court changes, including the hearing of criminal [[plea bargain]]s in open court, rather than in the judge’s chambers. He also instituted a jury pool system to accelerate the selection of jurors. In 1975, the Louisiana Supreme Court asked Yelverton to help develop a procedure to alleviate the docket of the state Court of Appeal, 1st Circuit in Baton Rouge.<ref name=obit/>​

 

In 1982, Yelverton was elected without opposition to the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal, with authority in twenty-one parishes of southwestern and central Louisiana. He remained a circuit judge until he reached the mandatory retirement age of seventy-five. He also sat on numerous occasions on the Louisiana Supreme Court. The day after his retirement, he went to work for the 3rd Circuit as a part-time law clerk, a position from which he retired at the age of eighty.<ref name=obit/> because of [[lung cancer]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kplctv.com/story/10832509/judge-henry-l-yelverton-dies-at-the-age-of-81|title=Judge Henry L. Yelverton dies at the age of 81|publisher=KPLC=TV|accessdate=August 14, 2014}}</ref>​

In 1982, Yelverton was elected without opposition to the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal, with authority in twenty-one parishes of southwestern and central Louisiana. He remained a circuit judge until he reached the mandatory retirement age of seventy-five. He also sat on numerous occasions on the Louisiana Supreme Court. The day after his retirement, he went to work for the 3rd Circuit as a part-time law clerk, a position from which he retired at the age of eighty.<ref name=obit/> because of [[lung cancer]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kplctv.com/story/10832509/judge-henry-l-yelverton-dies-at-the-age-of-81|title=Judge Henry L. Yelverton dies at the age of 81|publisher=KPLC=TV|accessdate=August 14, 2014}}</ref>​

 

In 1989, Yelverton persuaded his fellow judges to adopt a new docket for the summary disposition of certain cases, a plan which reduced the backlog by a considerable margin. He was a founding member of the Criminal Bench Book Committee which devised the criminal bench book used in the trial courts. He formerly chaired the Uniform Rules Committee of the Louisiana Appellate Judges Conference. He wrote "Handbook of Louisiana Court of Appeal, Third Circuit, Procedure," a book for the use of young lawyers on the subjects of how to take an appeal and apply to the court's supervisory jurisdiction.<ref name=obit/>​

In 1989, Yelverton persuaded his fellow judges to adopt a new docket for the summary disposition of certain cases, a plan which reduced the backlog by a considerable margin. He was a founding member of the Criminal Bench Book Committee which devised the criminal bench book used in the trial courts. He formerly chaired the Uniform Rules Committee of the Louisiana Appellate Judges Conference. He wrote "Handbook of Louisiana Court of Appeal, Third Circuit, Procedure," a book for the use of young lawyers on the subjects of how to take an appeal and apply to the court's supervisory jurisdiction.<ref name=obit/>​

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==Death==

==Death==

Yelverton died in Lake Charles at the age of eight-one.<ref name=tributes>{{cite web|url=http://www.tributes.com/show/Henry-Yelverton-86487311|title=Tributes.com: Because Every Life Has a Story|publisher=tributes.com|accessdate=August 28, 2009}}</ref> He held membership in Eta Sigma Phi honorary classical fraternity and Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity. He was a member of the American Legion, the [[Knights of Columbus]] [[Roman Catholic]] fraternal men’s organization, and the Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church in Lake Charles, where he was also a trustee and a member of the parish council.<ref name=bio/>​

Yelverton died in Lake Charles at the age of eight-one.<ref name=tributes>{{cite web|url=http://www.tributes.com/show/Henry-Yelverton-86487311|title=Tributes.com: Because Every Life Has a Story|publisher=tributes.com|accessdate=August 28, 2009}}</ref> He held membership in Eta Sigma Phi honorary classical fraternity and Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity. He was a member of the American Legion, the [[Knights of Columbus]] [[Roman Catholic]] fraternal men’s organization, and the Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church in Lake Charles, where he was also a trustee and a member of the parish council.<ref name=bio/>​