Term Ends: 2026
Party: R
Judge David A. Blanchet was elected District Judge of the Fifteenth Judicial District Court, Division “H”, in 2002 and took the bench on January 1, 2003. Judge Blanchet was re-elected without opposition in 2008 and 2014. Judge Blanchet served as Chief Judge of the District from 2010 to 2011 and from 2016 to 2017.
Judge Blanchet is one of two Family Court judges in the District who handles divorces involving minor children as well as paternity, child custody and child support matters. Prior to his election, he was engaged in general trial practice for 22 years focusing on family law. Judge Blanchet was recognized by the Louisiana Bar Association as a “Board Certified Family Law Specialist” in 1995 and actively maintained that designation until his election. After taking the Bench, Judge Blanchet has remained on “inactive status” as a specialist which requires that he meet all of the annual continuing legal education requirements of practicing board certified specialists in the field of family law.
Judge Blanchet graduated with distinction in 1976 from the University of Southwestern Louisiana, now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, receiving a degree in Political Science. Judge Blanchet received his Juris Doctorate degree in 1980 from the Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center. During his studies at the LSU Law Center, he was a Robert Lee Tullis Moot Court Competition Finalist, a member of the Moot Court Board and served as President of Delta Theta Phi legal fraternity.
Judge Blanchet is a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association where he served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Family Law Section, as well as a member of the Family Law Advisory Commission. Judge Blanchet is also a member of the Lafayette Parish Bar Association, where he served as a member of the Board of Directors, President and Vice President of the Paula K. Woodruff Family Law Section and as the Chairman of the Section’s Judiciary Committee. The Judiciary Committee wrote and proposed amendments to the Local Court Rules of the Fifteenth Judicial District which established Family Court in 1999. Judge Blanchet presently serves as a member of the Louisiana Supreme Court Rules Committee for District Courts.
Judge Blanchet, while in private practice and since taking the bench, has been a frequent presenter at state, regional and local continuing legal education courses in family law.
Judge Blanchet is a lifelong resident of Lafayette where he attended St. Genevieve Elementary School, L.J. Alleman Middle School, and Lafayette High School. Judge Blanchet and his wife have been married for 35 years and they are the parents of a daughter. Judge Blanchet enjoys the outdoors, traveling and spending time with his family.