Northwest Louisiana Judge Lane Pittard dies after illness

Northwest Louisiana lost a judge Tuesday evening following an illness.

On Dec. 12, District Judge Lane Pittard passed away at his home.

“We are saddened by the tragic news of Judge Lane Pittard’s passing. He was a humble leader and a dedicated jurist who served our area honorably,” said United States House Speaker Mike Johnson.

Pittard was a Minden, Louisiana native and was respected for his reputation of standing up for victims and putting bad guys away.

In 1978, Pittard graduated from Northwestern State University with a bachelor’s in business administration. He worked in the realm of business until 1992 when he graduated from the University of Arkansas Law School.

Upon graduation, he moved to the Shreveport-Bossier area where he began his career in law and managed a private law practice for 20 years.

Pittard later went on to serve as the lead prosecutor at the Bossier-Webster District Attorney’s office for 14 years. While at the DA’s office he was regarded as one of the most successful prosecutors in the office.

In 2017, Pittard was sworn in as a 26th Judicial District Judge in Division C. He was in his second term as judge and his term was not set to expire until December 2026.

Johnson said, “Kelly (wife) and I join everyone in praying for the Pittard family and the community surrounding the 26^th Judicial District Court.”

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Makenzie Boucher is a reporter with the Shreveport Times. Contact her at mboucher@gannett.com.