Brian Wiggins has been appointed as the new Judicial Administrator of the Louisiana Supreme Court, according to an announcement made at the Spring Judges Conference on Apr. 20. Wiggins, who has served in various roles within the court for 17 years, will succeed Sandra A. Vujnovich, who is set to retire on July 1 but will continue in an advisory role until then.
The appointment is significant because the Judicial Administrator manages key operations that support courts across Louisiana and plays a role in advancing access to justice and judicial administration initiatives, according to the official website of the Louisiana Supreme Court (http://www.lasc.org/). The office serves as both a staffing and fiscal agent for several task forces and committees, supporting programs that provide data management and outreach services throughout the judiciary.
Wiggins addressed judges at the conference by saying, “The collective efforts of the JA’s Office have quietly and consistently strengthened the work of our courts beyond the courtroom. I am humbly committed to preserving the quality and depth of the Office’s work while thoughtfully building on the strong strategies and foundations already established.”
Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice John Weimer said about Wiggins’ selection: “The nationwide search and the Court’s selection process ultimately determined that the strongest candidate was a seasoned court professional and proud Louisiana native. I am confident Brian will carry forward the tradition established by his predecessor of placing public service above all else.”
As outlined by its mission statement, “To preserve the integrity of the judiciary, to build and maintain public trust, to provide effective and efficient administration of justice in the Supreme Court, to ensure proper administration and performance of all courts under Supreme Court authority, and to ensure highest professional conduct, integrity, and competence,” according to its official website (http://www.lasc.org/).
The Louisiana Supreme Court is composed of seven elected justices led by a Chief Justice. It serves as both an appellate court overseeing appeals from lower courts—ensuring judicial integrity—and provides administrative supervision over all state courts since its establishment in 1813 for its first session (http://www.lasc.org/). The court also supports collaborative efforts addressing societal issues such as truancy.
Looking ahead with this leadership transition complete, observers may expect continued focus on strengthening transparency, expanding access across communities statewide (http://www.lasc.org/), fostering public trust among citizens (http://www.lasc.org/), maintaining high standards for legal professionals (http://www.lasc.org/), administering justice effectively throughout Louisiana’s unified judicial system (http://www.lasc.org/), while upholding collaborative responses toward pressing social concerns.
