Job Details for U.S. Magistrate Judge
| Court Name/Organization | Louisiana Eastern District Court |
| Overview of the Position | The Judicial Conference of the United States has authorized the appointment of a full-time U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana at New Orleans, Louisiana. The courts provide fair and impartial justice within the jurisdiction conferred by the Constitution and Congress. Public trust and confidence are enhanced when the judiciary’s workforce is highly competent and dedicated to the cause of justice. The judiciary can and should strive to recruit and retain the best and the brightest from all backgrounds and life experiences. |
| Location | New Orleans, LA |
| Opening and Closing Dates | 07/01/2026 - 08/31/2026 |
| Appointment Type | Permanent |
| Salary | Not specified |
| Link to Court Careers Information | https://www.uscourts.gov/careers/who-works-judiciary |
| Link to Job Announcement | |
Position Description
The duties of the position are demanding and wide-ranging: (1) conduct of most preliminary proceedings in criminal cases; (2) trial and disposition of misdemeanor cases; (3) conduct of various pretrial matters and evidentiary proceedings on delegation from a district judge; and (4) trial and disposition of civil cases upon consent of the litigants. The basic authority of a United States Magistrate Judge is specified in 28 U.S.C. § 636.
Qualifications
To be qualified for appointment an applicant must
- Be, and have been for at least five years, a member in good standing of the bar of the highest court of a state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Territory of Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or the Virgin Islands of the United States;
- Have been engaged in the active practice of law for a period of at least five years (with some substitutes authorized);
- Be competent to perform all the duties of the office, of good moral character, emotionally stable and mature, committed to equal justice under the law, in good health, patient, courteous, and capable of deliberation and decisiveness;
- Be less than 70 years old; and
- Not be related to a judge of the district court.
Application Info
Application forms and more information on the magistrate judge position in this court may be obtained from Carol L. Michel, Clerk of Court, U.S. District Court, EDLA, 500 Poydras St., New Orleans, LA 70130. The application form is available on the court’s website. 13 copies in total of the signed application must be submitted by applicants personally by mail or by hand delivery and must be received by 5 p.m. on Aug. 31, 2026.
Application packets should be marked confidential and addressed to:
Merit Selection Panel
c/o Carol Michel, Clerk
U.S. District Court
500 Poydras St., Room C-151
New Orleans, LA 70130
All applications will be kept confidential, unless the applicant consents to disclosure, and all applications will be examined only by members of the merit selection panel and the judges of the district court. The panel’s deliberations will remain confidential.
The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.