Judge Gary J. Ortego is a life-long resident of Ville Platte, Evangeline Parish, Louisiana. He is married to Carlene Fontenot Ortego, and they are the proud parents of three children, Angelique (husband Jimmy Litsey), Pastor Bo Ortego, Alanna Milliman (husband Dr. Cody Milliman), and blessed with four grandchildren, T.J. and Samantha Litsey, and Asher and Eli Milliman.

Judge Ortego earned his Bachelor degree from University of Southwestern Louisiana (USL), now University of Louisiana at Lafayette, in 1976. Judge Ortego attended the Paul M. Hebert Law Center, from which he graduated with a Juris Doctorate degree in 1982. Judge Ortego was admitted to the Bar of the State of Louisiana in October of 1982. Thereafter, he established a private law practice in Ville Platte, Louisiana, focused on general practice of law, where he litigated cases before numerous state district courts, federal district courts, and the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Judge Ortego’s judicial career began when he was appointed as the Hearing Officer for the 13th Judicial District Court in 2009, serving until 2014. Judge Ortego was first elected District Judge of the 13th Judicial District Court, Division A, in November of 2014, then re-elected in November of 2020, without opposition, and served as a district court judge for over 7 years, from January 1, 2015 through February 6, 2022. Judge Ortego was elected, without opposition, to the Louisiana Court of Appeal, Third Circuit, District 3, on February 7, 2022, and began his service as an appellate judge on March 7, 2022.