Crowley native and Orleans judge to retire

By Howell Dennis

CITY EDITOR

Judge Raymond Bigelow, a Crowley native who has been serving as an Orleans Parish District Judge in New Orleans since 1992, will be retiring at the end of 2008 after sixteen years of distinguished service on the bench.

Having graduated from Crowley High School in 1965, Bigelow earned his law degree from Tulane University. He spent several years as an Assistant District Attorney under legendary New Orleans D.A. Harry Connick.

Known for his fairness and efficiency, Bigelow had the lowest inventory of open cases in Orleans Parish in 2007 by a wide margin - having a mere 69. Considering that other judges have an inventory of over 200 and it becomes obvious how just how much Bigelow’s presence on bench will be missed.

An article in New Orleans City Business magazine detailed the difficulty that would be involved in replacing Bigelow as well as Judge Dennis Waldron, who will be retiring at the same time as Bigelow. Bigelow, however, doesn’t see it that way.

“There will always be someone elected to the court just like there is someone to take the president’s place,” he said. “When we’re all dead and gone there will be new judges and the criminal courts will still be standing. It’s not the end of the world.”

Bigelow says the biggest responsibility for the new judges will be to decrease the number of “frivolous continuances” and to keep things moving.

“It’s important to develop a reputation for making witnesses, especially police officers, show up,” he said. “If you continually grant continuance after continuance, the case gets stale. Witnesses get tired of coming to court, and defendants want their day in court so it benefits everyone.”

When asked why he considered now as the time for retirement, his response was simple.

“I’ve been working at the corner of Tulane and Broad for 25 years,” he said. “The time is right for me to step down.”

Bigelow’s sister, Sylvia Habetz, and his mother, Edith D. Bigelow, still reside in Crowley.