Chief Judge Burrell J. Carter of the Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeal announces an historic event for the court.

For the first time in its history, the court has convened a panel comprised of three women judges, including Panel Chief Judge Vanessa Whipple and panel members Judge Page McClendon and Judge Toni Higginbotham.

The panel had its first hearings of the 2012-2013 docket year on Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 13 and 14.

The First Circuit uses a 16-year rotation to assign its three-judge panel members for a docket year. This process insures that one panel member is from each election district in the First Circuit’s jurisdictional area.

Judge Whipple represents election District 1 with the parishes of Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. Mary, Assumption, Ascension, Iberville, West Baton Rouge and Pointe Coupee.

Judge Higginbotham represents East Baton Rouge Parish, election District 2.

Judge McClendon is elected from District 3 with the parishes of West Feliciana, East Feliciana, St Helena, Livingston, Tangipahoa, Washington and St. Tammany.

The First Circuit is one of five Louisiana intermediate appellate courts. The court is domiciled in Baton Rouge and normally holds hearings at its courthouse located at 1600 North Third St. Current copies of the court’s docket are available on the court’s website. For additional information visit www.la-fcca.org.