Terry Doughty confirmed as federal judge

Louisiana Fifth District Judge Terry Doughty has been confirmed to take a seat on the federal bench by the U.S. Senate.

Doughty’s nomination to serve as a federal judge on the U.S. Western District of Louisiana Court was approved unanimously by a 98-0 vote.

Doughty is the Division A judge of the Fifth Judicial District in Louisiana. He was elected to this position in July of 2008 (effective the following January) to replace retired Judge Glenn W. Strong.

Doughty earned his bachelor’s degree at Louisiana Tech and graduated from the Louisiana State University Law Center in 1984.

He worked for 24 years as a private practice lawyer in Rayville prior to his election to the District Court in 2008. For part of that time, he practiced with the firm of Cotton, Bolton, Hoychick & Doughty while also serving as an assistant district attorney.

Doughty will replace Judge Robert James who moved to senior status in 2016.  Doughty was interviewed by Sen. Bill Cassidy and then-Sen. David Vitter for the position at that time, however, his nomination was not taken up by the Obama Administration.

After the election of President Donald Trump, Doughty interviewed again with Cassidy and Sen. John Kennedy. Upon Cassidy’s and Congressman Ralph Abraham’s recommendation, Doughty was interviewed by the White House in April 2017 and officially nominated on August 3, 2017.

Doughty said he will schedule a public ceremonial swearing in later in Monroe.