Marcus R. Clark

Marcus R. Clark (born February 24, 1956) is a Republican member of the Louisiana Supreme Court from West Monroe, Louisiana, United States, who won his current position in a special election held on October 17, 2009, to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Republican Justice Chet D. Traylor of Monroe, formerly of Winnsboro in Franklin Parish. In 2010, Traylor challenged U.S. Senator David Vitter for re-nomination in the Republican closed primary.

Early years and education

Clark was born in Sulphur in Calcasieu Parish in southwestern Louisiana to Charles Gerald Clark and Hilda W. Clark (1922–2009).^[1] He graduated in 1974 from Sulphur High School and was an Eagle Scout in his youth.^[2] He received his undergraduate degree in 1978 from the University of Louisiana at Monroe, then known as Northeast Louisiana University. Out of college, he served from 1978-1982 as a detective for the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Department. He then entered Louisiana State University Law Center in Baton Rouge, from which he received his Juris Doctor degree in 1985. He returned to Monroe after law school and was an assistant district attorney from 1985–1996, when he was elected to the state district court.^[3] In 1990, Clark married Allyson Ayers, a neo-natal nurse; the couple has two children, Nicole and Cooper Clark.

District court judge

Clark was initially elected as a Democrat to the district judgeship in 1996 to succeed the retiring Judge John Joyce. He narrowly defeated Frederic "Fred" Amman, a Democrat who was elected in 2007 as one of three Monroe municipal judges.^[4] In the primary held on September 21, 1996, Clark led Amman, 11,870 (33 percent) to 10,628 (29.5 percent). Two other Democrats received the remaining 37.6 percent of the ballots.^[5] In the November 5 general election, Clark prevailed, 26,828 (51.3 percent) to 25,424 (48.7 percent).^[6] Amman was elected without opposition early in 2010 to complete Clark's remaining term as district judge.^[4]

In his first term as a district judge, Clark was sanctioned by the state Supreme Court when his mounting caseload caused him to fall behind in processing cases. He attributes the problem to his secretary taking maternity leave and the illness of his daughter, Nicole. The court held that the delay in processing the cases was a result of disorganization. Clark was reelected to the district court without opposition in 2002 and 2008.^[2] The sanctions were used as an issue by his unsuccessful opponent, Jimmy Faircloth, in the 2009 special election for the Supreme Court. Clark has been an outspoken critic of "frivolous lawsuits" and maintains that he rejected attempts to abuse the court system while he served on the bench in Monroe.^[2]

Election to the Supreme Court

As the Division E state Fourth Judicial District Court judge in Ouachita Parish, Clark defeated fellow Republican attorney Jimmy Faircloth, Jr., of Pineville, a former aide to Governor Bobby Jindal, for a seat on the Louisiana Supreme Court. Clark and Faircloth evenly split the twenty parishes in the 4th District Supreme Court position. Clark prevailed, 28,521 (53 percent) to 25,495 (47 percent). Clark's strongest turnout was in his home base of Ouachita Parish, where he defeated Faircloth, 14,253-5,322. While Faircloth won his home base of Rapides Parish, his turnout there was insufficient to overcome Clark's districtwide lead. Rapides Parish voted for Faircloth, 8,461-2,193.^[7]

The victorious Clark also won Caldwell, East Carroll, Franklin, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Richland, Tensas, and Union parishes. Faircloth led in Concordia, Bienville, Catahoula, Claiborne, Grant, Jackson, La Salle, Rapides, West Carroll, and Winn parishes.^[7]

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