About Chris
Chris Hester is a life-long Baton Rouge resident with a proven track record in the courtroom and a passion for solving critical issues to improve our community.
Chris has proudly served Baton Rouge as a City Court Judge after being elected in November 2018. His experience handling civil and criminal matters, including traffic, small claims, and evictions, from the City Court bench has given him an understanding of the root issues of many problems facing our community. Before becoming a City Court Judge, he spent the majority of his career working to improve our community as an assistant district attorney with the East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney’s (EBRDA) Office. He previously served as Section Chief and held the positions of Chief Homicide Prosecutor and Section Chief of the Violent Crimes Unit. For nearly 9 years, Chris handled thousands of cases — from misdemeanors to murders. These experiences in the courtroom make him in tune with the needs of our state and will serve as a foundation for serving our community.
“As a prosecutor, you gain a real appreciation for the effect crime has on Baton Rouge, and also see what kind of a difference an effective justice system can make when committed to serving the people. It’s an honor to enter the courtroom every day and work on so many meaningful cases.”
With your support, he hopes to transition his role from City Court to Court of Appeal while still continuing to seek justice for the people of Baton Rouge each day.
As the Chief Homicide Prosecutor, Chris saw the biggest challenges and habitual offenders in the criminal justice system. Chris recognizes that these violent crime offenders often start with a misdemeanor handled in Baton Rouge City Court or District Court. This experience combined with his time as a City Court Judge has cultivated Chris’s passion for solving root issues that plague our community and empowered him to run for Court of Appeal. Chris is committed to bringing a firm but fair perspective, tireless work ethic, and extensive experience to this important position as he seeks to build a better Louisiana.
Immediately after graduating from LSU Law School and before he started as an assistant district attorney, Chris began his career at Watson, Blanche, Wilson and Posner, a law firm practicing primarily in the area of medical malpractice defense where he honed his skills in this unique civil practice.
Chris is also extremely active in the community as the head coach of the 8th grade basketball team at St. Aloysius Catholic School, active member in the Baton Rouge and Louisiana State Bar Association, and an active committee member at First United Methodist Church.
In 2016, Chris was recognized as one of the Baton Rouge Business Report’s “40 under Forty” for his career success and impact in the community.
“One thing I find most rewarding about being a judge is that frequently we see people at a very bad point in their lives. Seeing someone hit rock bottom and then turn their life around is fantastic. Seeing someone complete their probation and be proud of themselves for changing the direction of their life is a great thing.”
Personal
Chris was born and raised in Baton Rouge and attended Trinity Episcopal Day School, St. Aloysius Catholic School and is a proud graduate of Catholic High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University and a Juris Doctor and Bachelor of Civil Law from LSU Paul M. Hebert Law School.
He is married to his college sweetheart — Emily Burris Hester — and they are the proud parents of two children, Hayden and Avery. His wife Emily is originally from Franklinton, Louisiana and is a graduate of LSU for both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. She works at LSU in Student Affairs.
Chris was a leader among his peers throughout his time at LSU Law School. Chris served as Student Bar Association Class President during his first and second years at LSU Law Center, and SBA Executive President in his third year. He is also a class representative on the Louisiana State University Law Young Alumni Leadership Council.
