Judge James Robert Dawkins,
Union Parish, Louisiana.   
Second Judicial District.     

File prepared by Deanne N. Pardue.



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From "Biographies of Louisiana Judges" edited by J. Cleveland Fruge
for the Louisiana District Judges Association, publishers.  1971.
Reproduction permitted without written permission provided credit
line is retained.  Copyright, 1971, J. Cleveland Fruge.

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     Judge James R. Dawkins was born in the northern part of Union
Parish, Louisiana on July 3, 1901, the youngest child of James Monroe
Dawkins and Callie Smith Dawkins.

     Judge Dawkins's father, James Monroe Dawkins, served as a member of
the Louisiana Legislature in the 1890's; as Parish Treasurer; and as
Clerk of Court of Union Parish from 1914 until his death in 1925.  The
Dawkins family moved to Farmerville in 1912 and judge Dawkins attended
the Farmerville High School, graduating from there in 1919.  In the fall
of that year, Judge Dawkins entered Louisiana State University, taking
the pre-legal course, but after two years at L.S.U. decided to become a
pharmacist.  Thus, in the fall of 1921, he entered the Altanta College
of Pharmacy at Altanta, Georgia, completing the two year course in one
year, and becoming a registered druggist in 1922.  Thereafter, Judge
Dawkins was employed in Monroe and Ruston, Louisiana as a pharmacist.

Realizing that he was not satisfied with the profession of
druggist, Judge Dawkins returned to L.S.U. in 1925 to resume the study
of law - his first love.  He was graduated from the Law School of
L.S.U., as valedictorian of his class, in June of 1928.  After
Graduation, judge Dawkins went into partnership with his brother,
Herbert E. Dawkins, opening an office in Monroe.  However, after on
year, Herbert E. Dawkins died and Judge Dawkins moved to Farmerville,
where he practiced law alone until his election to the bench as District
Judge in 1953.  He continued to reside in Farmerville until October,
1968 and then moved to Ruston where he and his family now live.

During the years of the practice of law in Farmerville, Judge
Dawkins served as City Attorney for every municipality in Union Parish.
He was Mayor of Farmerville for a four year term during the depression
years of the 1930's.  He was a deacon in the First Baptist Church at
Farmerville for many years and is now serving in the same capacity in
the First Baptist Church at Ruston.  He is a member of Phi Delta Phi
legal fraternity, Mu Sigma Rho scholastic fraternity, the State and
American Bar Associations, and other civic and fraternal organizations.

Judge Dawkins was elected as District Judge at a special election
called in 1953 to fill the unexpired term occasioned by the death of the
late Judge E.L. Walker.  Since that time, he has been re-elected to said
office without opposition.  Judge Dawkins, during his tenure of office,
has been assigned by the Supreme Court of Louisiana to assist in the
Second and Fourth Judicial Districts and to serve on a special panel of
judges on the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans.

Judge Dawkins was married to Marie White of Ruston, Louisiana, on
April 18, 1924.  Of the marriage there are two children: Mrs. Jean
Dawkins Langford (wife of Dr. Eugene P. Langford) of Longview, Texas,
and Robert G. Dawkins, an attorney at law of Ruston, Louisiana.

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