Judge Steve Gunnell is running for re-election because he has the necessary experience, fairness, and strong community ties that matter on the bench. As a lifelong resident of Jefferson Davis Parish and a public servant for the past three decades, Judge Gunnell remains committed to making all Jefferson Davis Parish communities comprising the Thirty-First Judicial District to be safer, stronger, and better places to live.  Judge Gunnell believes in the same values that guided him growing up — honesty, equality, hard work, faith, and community — and those values continue to guide the way he runs his courtroom every day.

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Since being elected District Judge in 2007, Judge Gunnell has worked to uphold the law while also addressing the root causes of crime and family instability. He believes the justice system should protect the public, hold offenders accountable, and create opportunities for rehabilitation when appropriate.

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Judge Gunnell has continued a Truancy Court Program focused on helping children stay in school and to succeed in education. Working alongside the District Attorney’s Office and the Family In Need of Services (F.I.N.S.) Program, Judge Gunnell assisted in establishing a coordinator position dedicated to identifying the reasons why children are failing in school due to lack of attendance and connecting families with available resources and support services. His goal has always been simple: keep children on the right path and strengthen families before problems become lifelong issues.

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Judge Gunnell’s concerns with rising theft and burglary crimes due to prevalent alcohol and substance abuse addiction as well as mental health challenges has led him to launch a Drug Court in 2026 which is focused on high-risk, non-violent offenders designed to assist both the addiction and mental health issues with a program requiring accountability, education, treatment, and supervision. He also supports the creation of a separate Mental Health Court designed to divert eligible individuals who are suffering mental illness away from incarceration and toward community-based treatment programs that improve outcomes and reduce repeat offenses.

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Judge Gunnell remains firm and squarely rooted in the protection of public safety. As the only sitting District Court Judge in Jefferson Davis Parish, he continues to make himself available to the needs of all law enforcement agencies every day of the week at any time, both day and night.