Vanessa Harris

She was the first woman and African-American Opelousas City Court Judge.

Harris was an assistant district attorney in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana from 1988 to 2008.

[2] Harris was elected on January 1, 2009 to serve on the Opelousas City Court.

[3] In December 2021, Harris was appointed by the Louisiana Supreme Court to serve as judge pro tempore of the Lafayette City Court from December 17, 2021 through February 28, 2022.

Harris is the first African-American judge appointed to the Lafayette City Court.