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After passing the bar, Paxton joined the firm of Christovich & Kearney in [[New Orleans]], where he practiced until 1993. He entered politics and, from 1993 to 2002, he was the assistant district attorney in the 6th District; from 2002 to 2008, the first assistant district attorney.​

After passing the bar, Paxton joined the firm of Christovich & Kearney in [[New Orleans]], where he practiced until 1993. He entered politics and, from 1993 to 2002, he was the assistant district attorney in the 6th District; from 2002 to 2008, the first assistant district attorney.​

 

In November 2007, District Attorney [[Buddy Caldwell]] of Tallulah, then a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]],  defeated [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[Royal Alexander]] in the race for state attorney general. Upon taking office in January 2008, Caldwell named fellow Democrat Paxton, to succeed Caldwell as district attorney.<ref name=sixthda>{{cite web|url=http://sixthda.com/meettheda.html|title=James E. Paxton|publisher=sixthda.com|accessdate=October 4, 2013}}</ref> Thereafter, Paxton was elected as DA in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 4, 2008. He received 5,767 votes (72 percent) to 2,242 (28 percent) for his lone opponent, Joy Rachelle Jackson (born 1968), another Democrat from Tallulah.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 4, 2008,</ref>​<ref>Attorney General Caldwell switched to Republican affiliation and was reelected to a second term in 2011.</ref>​ In 2015, however, in the same election that Democrat [[John Bel Edwards]] defeated Republican [[U.S. Senator]] [[David Vitter]] in the race for governor, Caldwell was unseated by another Republican, [[Jeff Landry]]. In 2019, Caldwell returned to the Democratic Party to contest the office of [[sheriff]] of Madison Parish.

In November 2007, District Attorney [[Buddy Caldwell]] of Tallulah, then a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]],  defeated [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[Royal Alexander]] in the race for state attorney general. Upon taking office in January 2008, Caldwell named fellow Democrat Paxton, to succeed Caldwell as district attorney.<ref name=sixthda>{{cite web|url=http://sixthda.com/meettheda.html|title=James E. Paxton|publisher=sixthda.com|accessdate=October 4, 2013}}</ref> Thereafter, Paxton was elected as DA in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 4, 2008. He received 5,767 votes (72 percent) to 2,242 (28 percent) for his lone opponent, Joy Rachelle Jackson (born 1968), another Democrat from Tallulah.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 4, 2008,</ref>​<ref>Attorney General Caldwell switched to Republican affiliation and was reelected to a second term in 2011.</ref>​ In 2015, however, in the same election that Democrat [[John Bel Edwards]] defeated Republican [[U.S. Senator]] [[David Vitter]] in the race for governor, Caldwell was unseated by another Republican, [[Jeff Landry]]. In 2019, Caldwell returned to the Democratic Party to contest the office of [[sheriff]] of Madison Parish.

 

Paxton is a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association and the Louisiana District Attorneys Association. He describes his goals as DA as making "sure that we seek justice swiftly, but fairly ... that we honor our primary obligation to protect the public, but do so in a manner that is just, ethical, and proper."<ref name=sixthda/>

Paxton is a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association and the Louisiana District Attorneys Association. He describes his goals as DA as making "sure that we seek justice swiftly, but fairly ... that we honor our primary obligation to protect the public, but do so in a manner that is just, ethical, and proper."<ref name=sixthda/>