NEW ORLEANS – Orleans Parish Civil District Court Judge Yada Magee, a pioneer among African-American women on the city's legal and judicial circuits passed away Sunday at the age of 60.
Magee presided over Division 'F' of the Civil Court for 22 years, starting in 1986. She served as senior judge of the court from 2002 until she stepped down in 2008.
Magee presided over several major cases, including Spitzfaden v. Dow Chemical, which was known in legal circles as the breast implant class action case.
Her colleagues remembered her both for her judicial and legal pursuits as well as her life off of the bench.
"She was my friend for more than 30 years," said Louisiana State Supreme Court Justice Bernette Johnson. "We met each other first, as young attorneys, at the City Attorney's Office. We served together as Judges at Orleans Parish Civil District Court where we supported each other on administrative issues and shared the everyday challenges of trial work. She was a great jurist who made a tremendous impact on her Court and on the profession."
"Judge Yada Magee was a well-respected member of the court," said Judge Kern Reese. "She was a vibrant personality who wanted to be fair to all people...a dedicated Christian who truly put God in every phase of her life...she will be forever missed."
Magee was a 1979 graduate of Loyola University Law School and shortly thereafter became the first African American female New Orleans Assistant City Attorney assigned to its litigation division. She worked as a sole practitioner from 1982 to 1984 and was a partner of the Magee, Knighten and Slack Law Firm from 1984-1986.
During her tenure in the judiciary Judge Magee served as Recording Secretary of the Louisiana Judicial Council of the National Bar Association from 1997 to 2007 and was Chair of that organization from 2009 to 2011. She was also a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association and a life member of the NAACP.
