Changes

'''Jeffrey Paul Victory''' (January 29, 1946 &ndash September 26, 2024) was a [[Republican]] former member of the Louisiana Supreme Court, having represented since January 1, 1995, the District 2 seat based in eleven parishes about his native [[Shreveport]], [[Louisiana]]. He did not seek reelection in 2014 and left the court on January 1, 2015.

'''Jeffrey Paul Victory''' (January 29, 1946 &ndash September 26, 2024) was a [[Republican]] former member of the Louisiana Supreme Court, having represented since January 1, 1995, the District 2 seat based in eleven parishes about his native [[Shreveport]], [[Louisiana]]. He did not seek reelection in 2014 and left the court on January 1, 2015.

   

   

==Background==

==Background==

==Judicial tenure==

==Judicial tenure==

In 1981, Justice Victory, then a [[Democrat]], was elected to the First Judicial District Court in Caddo Parish, which includes Shreveport. In 1990, he was elected to the Second Circuit Court of Appeal, encompassing Caddo, Red River, and De Soto parishes. His term began on January 1, 1991. In the election held on October 6, 1990, he defeated fellow Democrat James E. Clark of Shreveport, 43,516 (55 percent) to 35,599 (45 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/10061990/10061990_MultiParish.html|title=Louisiana primary election returns, October 6, 1990|publisher=staticresults.sos.la.gov|accessdate=June 25, 2012}}</ref>

In 1981, Justice Victory, then a [[Democrat]], was elected to the First Judicial District Court in Caddo Parish, which includes Shreveport. In 1990, he was elected to the Second Circuit Court of Appeal, encompassing Caddo, Red River, and De Soto parishes. His term began on January 1, 1991. In the election held on October 6, 1990, he defeated fellow Democrat James E. Clark of Shreveport, 43,516 (55 percent) to 35,599 (45 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/10061990/10061990_MultiParish.html|title=Louisiana primary election returns, October 6, 1990|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=June 25, 2012}}</ref>

   

   

On October 1, 1994, Victory contested the Supreme Court seat against fellow Democrats Henry Newton Brown, Jr., of [[Bossier City]] and [[Charles Scott]] of Shreveport. Brown led in the primary with 43,811 votes (37.5 percent), and Victory trailed with 36,522 votes (31.27 percent). Scott finished third with 36,480 votes (31.23 percent), only 42 votes behind Victory.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/10011994/10011994_MultiParish.html|title=Primary election returns, October 1, 1994|publisher=staticresults.sos.la.gov|accessdate=June 26, 2012}}</ref>

On October 1, 1994, Victory contested the Supreme Court seat against fellow Democrats Henry Newton Brown, Jr., of [[Bossier City]] and [[Charles Scott]] of Shreveport. Brown led in the primary with 43,811 votes (37.5 percent), and Victory trailed with 36,522 votes (31.27 percent). Scott finished third with 36,480 votes (31.23 percent), only 42 votes behind Victory.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Primary election returns, October 1, 1994.</ref>

   

   

In the runoff held in conjunction with the general election of November 8, 1994, Victory prevailed over Brown, a former district attorney for Bossier and Webster parishes, 69,864 (53 percent) to 62,048 (47 percent). Supreme Court terms in Louisiana extend for ten years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/11081994/11081994_MultiParish.html|title=General election returns, November 8, 1994|publisher=staticresults.sos.la.gov|accessdate=June 26, 2012}}</ref> A native of Bienville Parish, Brown is now the Chief Judge of the Louisiana Second Circuit Court of Appeals in Shreveport. He ran unopposed for the position in 2010 and his current term extends until December 31, 2020.

In the runoff held in conjunction with the general election of November 8, 1994, Victory prevailed over Brown, a former district attorney for Bossier and Webster parishes, 69,864 (53 percent) to 62,048 (47 percent). Supreme Court terms in Louisiana extend for ten years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/11081994/11081994_MultiParish.html|title=General election returns, November 8, 1994|publisher=staticresults.sos.la.gov|accessdate=June 26, 2012}}</ref> A native of Bienville Parish, Brown is now the Chief Judge of the Louisiana Second Circuit Court of Appeals in Shreveport. He ran unopposed for the position in 2010 and his current term extends until December 31, 2020.

In 2004, Victory ran for the first time as a Republican and defeated in the nonpartisan blanket primary the Democrat Stephen Beasley, 74,320 (60.9 percent) to 47,799 (39.1 percent). Victory led in five of the eleven parishes in the district encompassing northwestern Louisiana.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/09182004/09182004_MultiParish.html|title=Primary election returns, September 18, 2004|publisher=static results.sos.la.gov|accessdate=June 26, 2012}}</ref>

In 2004, Victory ran for the first time as a Republican and defeated in the nonpartisan blanket primary the Democrat Stephen Beasley, 74,320 (60.9 percent) to 47,799 (39.1 percent). Victory led in five of the eleven parishes in the district encompassing northwestern Louisiana.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/09182004/09182004_MultiParish.html|title=Primary election returns, September 18, 2004|publisher=static results.sos.la.gov|accessdate=June 26, 2012}}</ref>

According to his obituary, Victory's judicial philosophy was "shaped by a unique combination of a strong moral compass and conservative leaning, but also a keen awareness of the value, and sometimes correctness, of opposing viewpoints. He loved to discuss all sides of an issue in detail and had the innate skill of finding the weakness in any legal argument. His law clerks knew better than to present him with any memo or draft opinion that did not include every relevant case and address every possible argument that challenged the premise of the ultimate conclusion. He left no stone unturned and taught his law clerks to leave no stone unturned. It's no wonder so many of his law clerks became judges themselves, as well as successful lawyers"<ref name=obit/>

According to his obituary, Victory's judicial philosophy was "shaped by a unique combination of a strong moral compass and conservative leaning, but also a keen awareness of the value, and sometimes correctness, of opposing viewpoints. He loved to discuss all sides of an issue in detail and had the innate skill of finding the weakness in any legal argument. His law clerks knew better than to present him with any memo or draft opinion that did not include every relevant case and address every possible argument that challenged the premise of the ultimate conclusion. He left no stone unturned and taught his law clerks to leave no stone unturned. It's no wonder so many of his law clerks became judges themselves, as well as successful lawyers"<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=https://www.shreveporttimes.com/obituaries/plou0954991|title=Jeffrey Paul Victory obituary|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|date=September 30, 2024}}</ref>

   

   

Victory was a charter member of the Louisiana Sentencing Commission and has been a director of the Louisiana Judicial College. He is a member of the National Lawyers Association and the American, Louisiana state, and Shreveport bar associations.<ref name=bio/>

Victory was a charter member of the Louisiana Sentencing Commission and has been a director of the Louisiana Judicial College. He is a member of the National Lawyers Association and the American, Louisiana state, and Shreveport bar associations.<ref name=bio/>

Meanwhile, Victory sought unsuccessfully to succeed Catherine D. Kimball of Ventress in Pointe Coupee Parish as the chief justice of the court. Kimball retired because of health problems on February 1, 2013. Victory and another justice, Bernette Joshua Johnson, an [[African American]] from New Orleans, claimed the right to succeed Kimball under the Louisiana Constitution, which directs that the longest-serving associate justice becomes the chief justice if a vacancy occurs prior to the next regular election. Johnson's service dates to 1994 when she was elected to a circuit judgeship but was instead appointed to the Supreme Court under a federal consent decree which temporarily increased the number of justices from seven to eight. Victory maintained that he is the legitimate successor because he was elected to the Supreme Court in 1994 while he was already a circuit court judge for nearly four years. The state Supreme Court declared Johnson the judge with the greatest seniority, and she succeeded Kimball.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetowntalk.com/viewart/20120624/NEWS01/206240333/Race-tinges-debate-over-next-La-chief-justice|title=Race tinges debate over next La. chief justice|publisher=''[[Alexandria Town Talk]],'' June 24, 2012|access date=June 26, 2012}}</ref>

Meanwhile, Victory sought unsuccessfully to succeed Catherine D. Kimball of Ventress in Pointe Coupee Parish as the chief justice of the court. Kimball retired because of health problems on February 1, 2013. Victory and another justice, Bernette Joshua Johnson, an [[African American]] from New Orleans, claimed the right to succeed Kimball under the Louisiana Constitution, which directs that the longest-serving associate justice becomes the chief justice if a vacancy occurs prior to the next regular election. Johnson's service dates to 1994 when she was elected to a circuit judgeship but was instead appointed to the Supreme Court under a federal consent decree which temporarily increased the number of justices from seven to eight. Victory maintained that he is the legitimate successor because he was elected to the Supreme Court in 1994 while he was already a circuit court judge for nearly four years. The state Supreme Court declared Johnson the judge with the greatest seniority, and she succeeded Kimball.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetowntalk.com/viewart/20120624/NEWS01/206240333/Race-tinges-debate-over-next-La-chief-justice|title=Race tinges debate over next La. chief justice|publisher=''[[Alexandria Town Talk]],'' June 24, 2012|access date=June 26, 2012}}</ref>

Victory's Supreme Court seat was taken by another Republican, District Judge Scott Crichton, who was elected without opposition in the 2014 election. A former Democrat born in 1954, Crichton was an assistant district attorney in Caddo Parish from 1981 to 1990.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20130430/ELECTION02/304290035/Crichton-announces-Louisiana-Supreme-Court-bid|title=Crichton announces Louisiana Supreme Court bid|publisher=''Shreveport Times'', April 30, 2013|accessdate=May 1, 2013}}</ref>

Victory's Supreme Court seat was taken by another Republican, District Judge Scott Crichton, who was elected without opposition in the 2014 election. A former Democrat born in 1954, Crichton was an assistant district attorney in Caddo Parish from 1981 to 1990.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20130430/ELECTION02/304290035/Crichton-announces-Louisiana-Supreme-Court-bid|title=Crichton announces Louisiana Supreme Court bid|publisher=''Shreveport Times''|date=April 30, 2013|accessdate=May 1, 2013}}</ref>

==Personal life==

==Personal life==