MEET STEVE GUNNELL
Judge Steve Gunnell is a lifelong resident of Jennings who has spent his career serving the people of Jefferson Davis Parish with integrity, fairness, and dedication to justice. A graduate of Jennings High School, Judge Gunnell earned his Accounting degree from Louisiana State University before receiving his Juris Doctor from LSU Law School in 1982. After clerking for the Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeal, he returned home to Jennings to build his career and serve his community.
In 1985, Judge Gunnell opened the Cassidy & Gunnell Law Firm and went on to serve as Jennings City Prosecutor, Public Defender, and attorney for local families and businesses. In 1997, he was elected Jennings City Judge, where he served for ten years before being elected District Judge for the Thirty-First Judicial District Court in 2007. For nearly two decades on the district bench, Judge Gunnell has built a reputation for treating everyone with fairness, respect, and compassion while upholding the law and protecting public safety.
Judge Gunnell remains active in numerous legal and civic organizations, including the Louisiana State Bar Association, Louisiana District Judges Association, Third Circuit Judges Association, Louisiana Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, and the Jefferson Davis Parish Bar Association. He also serves on the board of the Zigler Art Museum.
Faith and family are at the center of Judge Gunnell’s life. He and his wife, Michelle, have been married for more than 35 years and raised their daughters, Justine and Samantha, in Jennings. Judge Gunnell has also dedicated years to coaching youth sports, volunteering more than 15 years in basketball, softball, soccer, tee-ball, and Little Dribblers programs. He is a member of Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus 2012.
Judge Steve Gunnell continues to serve the people of the Thirty-First Judicial District with the same values that have guided his life and career: honesty, hard work, integrity, equality, and faith.
30 YEARS EXPERIENCE • HONESTY • INTEGRITY • EQUALITY • JUSTICE • HARD WORK • FAITH • RESPECT