Judge David A. Blanchet is a native of Lafayette, Louisiana. He was elected District Judge of the Fifteenth Judicial District Court, Division “H”, in 2002 and took the bench on January 1, 2003. He is one of two Family Court judges in the Lafayette Parish and one of three Family Court Judges in Acadia and Vermilion Parishes. Prior to his election, he engaged in general trial practice focusing on family law. Judge Blanchet was recognized by the Louisiana Bar Association as a “Board Certified Family Law Specialist” in 1995 and actively maintained that designation until his election. Judge Blanchet remains on “inactive senior status” as a specialist in the field of family law.

Judge Blanchet graduated with distinction in 1976 from the University of Southwestern Louisiana, now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, receiving a degree in Political Science. Judge Blanchet received his Juris Doctorate degree in 1980 from the Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center. During his studies at the LSU Law Center, he was a Robert Lee Tullis Moot Court Competition Finalist, was a member of the Moot Court Board and served as President of Delta Theta Phi legal fraternity.

Judge Blanchet is a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association where he served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Family Law Section, as well as a member of the Family Law Advisory Commission. Judge Blanchet is also a member of the Lafayette Parish Bar Association, where he served as a member of the Board of Directors, President and Vice President of the Paula K. Woodruff Family Law Section. Judge Blanchet served on the Supreme Court’s Rules subcommittee developing uniform rules for family courts and on the District Court Rules committee.