Third Judicial District Judge Bruce Hampton was recently elected to serve a one-year term as First Vice-President of the Louisiana District Judges Association.
Judge Hampton earned his bachelor’s degree, cum laude, received the Wall Street Journal Award and was named Outstanding Finance Student from Louisiana Tech University in 1978, his juris doctorate, magna cum laude, from Tulane University School of Law in 1981, and his master of laws degree from Southern Methodist University in 1990, finishing first in his class.
He is a member of the Order of the Coif. Before his election to the bench in 2018, he practiced law for over 37 years in Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi. He worked as an assistant district attorney for 18 years, prosecuting felony and misdemeanor cases, handling drug court and juvenile court, and serving as counsel for the Union Parish Police Jury. He also served as an indigent defender for 10 years in the Third Judicial District.
Judge Hampton is a member of the American Judges Association and the Louisiana District Judges Association (currently serving as First Vice-President), was appointed to the Executive Board of the District Judges Association in 2021 and is a member of the Louisiana State Law Institute. He has been a member of the Judiciary Commission of Louisiana since 2022, currently serving as Chair.
Judge Hampton is a supporter of the Judges in the Classroom Program. He is the recipient of the 2025 Judge Benjamin Jones Judges in the Classroom Award and a member of the Supreme Court Task Force for Judges in the Classroom. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Ruston, Farmerville Lions Club, Ruston-Lincoln, and Union Parish Chambers of Commerce, the Bernice Business Club, and St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. In accordance with the Louisiana Constitution, Judge Hampton was appointed to the Commission by the Louisiana Supreme Court.
Judge Hampton and Cindy Hampton, an educator, have been married for 46 years and have two children and seven grandchildren.
The LDJA, which serves as the collective voice for Louisiana’s District Judges, works to improve the administration of justice, promote judicial integrity, and provide continuing education for judges across the state. Judge Hampton previously served as Treasurer and Secretary of the LDJA.
