Biography

PROFILE

In 2024, Justice Crichton served his tenth and final year as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Louisiana, to which he was elected without opposition in 2014. During his tenure on the Court, he presided over thousands of cases and authored hundreds of opinions, concurrences and dissents. Also in 2024, Justice Crichton completed “Civil Mediation” training at the University of Nevada, Reno, which was a 5-day (40-hour) intensive professional course.

In addition to his core judicial responsibilities, Justice Crichton chaired the Louisiana Judicial College and the Louisiana Supreme Court’s Executive Management Committee. He was also the Court’s designee to the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Executive Management Institute Board and a veteran member of the Judges Imparting Knowledge, Education and Skills Task Force.

Justice Crichton also participates actively in service to his community. He serves on the Board of Governors for the Louisiana Center for Law and Civil Education and is the recipient of the 2022 Judge Benjamin Jones Judges in the Classroom Award. A frequent lecturer at bar association seminars, he is known for his engaging and entertaining lectures on ethics, professionalism, trial advocacy, and appellate advocacy. For five years, Justice Crichton served on the adjunct faculty of Tulane Law School and taught Contemporary Issues in Legal Ethics and Advanced Appellate Advocacy. He also served for several years on the faculty for the LSU Law Center Trial Advocacy Program.

Justice Crichton presided over more than 25,000 cases during his 24 years (1991-2014) as a judge with the First Judicial District Court (Shreveport/Caddo Parish) where he served both the criminal and civil divisions. As an assistant district attorney in Caddo Parish throughout the 1980s, he prosecuted well over 50 jury trials. He also maintained a civil practice specializing in litigation of personal injury and wrongful death cases, as well as child custody and commercial disputes.

Justice Crichton grew up in Minden, Webster Parish, Louisiana. He credits his parents, Tom (a hardware store owner and cattle rancher) and Mary (a homemaker and ranked Life Master in bridge), with instilling in him the virtues of humility, education, and strong work ethic, all of which have guided him throughout life and which he will bring to the mediation and arbitration process.

Justice Crichton and his wife, Susie, share time in Shreveport and New Orleans. They have two sons, both of whom are lawyers.