The Baton Rouge City Court will have a new judge-at-large next year. The legislature created the seat over the summer in response to allegations that the court did not accurately reflect the racial makeup of the city. Previously there were three majority white districts and two majority black in a city that is more than 50 percent black. Tarvald Smith, a former public defender in Baker and a former member of the East Baton Rouge School Board won the seat.
Tarvald Smith will be sworn into his City Court judge seat on Nov. 16.