Section A

Hon. Jennifer Guillot Womble

An image of Hon. Jennifer Guillot Womble

Judge Jennifer Guillot Womble was elected without opposition on January 27, 2023 to Section A of the Jefferson Parish Juvenile Court. Prior to being elected, Judge Womble was a public defender representing children and indigent parents in thousands of cases in Jefferson Parish and the surrounding parishes in Southeast Louisiana. She additionally handled hundreds of adoptions in her private practice for over 20 plus years. Moreover, before becoming an experienced trial attorney, Judge Womble spent five years as the law clerk for Judge Ann Murry Keller, her predecessor in Section A.

Judge Womble graduated from St. Edward’s the Confessor School and subsequently graduated from high school at Mount Carmel Academy in 1990. In 1994, Judge Womble earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Newcomb College of Tulane University. She went on to receive her Juris Doctorate from Tulane Law School in 1997, where she was selected to be a member of the Juvenile Law Clinic.

After graduating from law school, Judge Womble served as the law clerk for Judge Kernan "Skip" Hand in the 24th Judicial District Court for the Parish of Jefferson.

Judge Womble was also admitted to the National Association of Counsel for Children – National Child Welfare Specialist along with becoming a Fellow in the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys.

Additionally, over the last many years, Judge Womble has been a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association Children’s Law Committee. Also, Judge Womble was involved with the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program for many years starting while she was still in college. Judge Womble was also the past President of the Jefferson Parish Extra Mile.

In the past, Judge Womble was elected to and served on the Louisiana Republican State Central Committee.

Judge Womble was previously awarded the Louisiana Public Defender Blackstone Award. In addition, in 2022, she was honored with the Crimefighters Crime Prevention Advocate of the Year Award.

Judge Womble is an active member of both the Louisiana and Jefferson Bar Associations. She also has been a Cub Scout and Girl Scout leader for over a decade.

Jennifer is married to John Womble, who is a practicing attorney in Jefferson Parish. Judge Womble is proud to be a life-long resident of Metairie.

Section B

Hon. Amanda Chauvin Calogero

 An image of Hon. Amanda C. Calogero

Judge Amanda C. Calogero was elected first in 2018 then without opposition in 2020, to Section B of the Jefferson Parish Juvenile Court. For the 18 years prior to being elected, Judge Calogero served the people of Jefferson Parish as an Assistant District Attorney, 7 years as the Chief of Juvenile (supervising juvenile delinquency, child dependency, and child support cases), and in prior years as a felony child sexual and physical abuse screener and trial attorney.

Judge Calogero achieved a Juris Doctorate from Loyola University School of Law in 1997. While attending Loyola at night, Judge Calogero held a full-time position as a Certified Emergency Nurse. Judge Calogero graduated in 1991 with Honors with the distinction of Bachelors of Science in Nursing.

While a prosecutor, Judge Calogero was active in the Louisiana District Attorney’s Association’s board, on the legislation committee, was a Governor’s appointee to the Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention board, as well as the Commission on Human Trafficking. Judge Calogero holds a National Association of Counsel for Children’s certification as a Child Welfare Specialist. Additionally, Judge Calogero has the distinction of Fellow in Tulane University’s Early Childhood Policy Leadership Institute.

Judge Calogero was a 2012 recipient of the Children’s Hospital New Orleans, Audrey Hepburn Care Center "Tree of Life" for work in the area of child abuse, as well a 2014 Louisiana State Police Superintendent’s Award for Excellence for work to end alcohol-related fatalities among teens, volunteering with the Sudden Impact Program. She is a regular instructor in Gretna and Kenner’s police academies. Judge Calogero is currently on the board of the 5 th Circuit Judges Association and a department Liaison with the La. Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges.

Additionally, Judge Calogero is a member of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, the La. Association of Drug and Specialty Courts, The American Professional Society of the Abuse of Children, The St. Thomas More Catholic Lawyers Association, and the La. District Judges Association.

Judge Calogero is married to Michael Calogero and has two daughters. Judge Calogero was born in Houma, La. the 5 th of 7 children.

Section C

Hon. Barron C. Burmaster, Chief Judge

An image of Hon. Barron C. Burmaster

Barron C. Burmaster was elected to Section 'C' on November 16, 2013. 

He attended McDonogh 26 Elementary School, Gretna Middle School, and West Jefferson High School. The Judge served as Student Council President at Gretna and was president of the Class of 1981 at West Jefferson, where he also served as president of the National Honor Society and commander of the Air Force Junior ROTC program. He received a full academic scholarship to attend Loyola University graduating in 1986 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Studies. He then received a full academic scholarship to attend Loyola Law School receiving his Juris Doctorate in 1989. After graduation, Judge Burmaster served as the Criminal Law Clerk for the Judges of 24th District Court until May 1991 when he was appointed an Assistant District Attorney.

The Judge served in the felony, research and appeals and juvenile division where he was Deputy Chief of the Juvenile Division of the D.A.'s office (14 years service in the Juvenile Division). He served as Executive Assistant District Attorney from 2007 to 2013. Also, he was appointed to Governor Jindal's transition team as a member of the Youth Development Panel of the Crime and Public Safety Advisory Council. Judge Burmaster served on the Board of Directors for the Friends of the Jefferson Child Advocacy Center as President, is President of the German American Cultural Center, past President of the Marrero Lions Club, is a past member of the Jefferson CASA Advisory Board, and is a member of the Louisiana Bar Association. Also, he was a member of the Louisiana District Attorney's Association where he has served as Second-Vice President from 2007 to 2013.

Other activities include membership in the Knights of Columbus, Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity, Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity and the Alliance of the American Dental Association. The Judge is a member of Visitation of Our Lady Parish where he serves as a lector and Eucharistic minister. He served as a member of the Louisiana Legislature's Juvenile Justice Commission Advisory board. Also, he served on the Louisiana Supreme Court's Committee to establish uniform Juvenile and Family Court Rules. The Judge attended the Loyola Institute of Politics earning a fellowship and is a former member of the Jefferson Parish Republican Executive Committee. He is a guest lecturer at Loyola University, Tulane University, Loyola School of Law, Concordia University, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office Training Academy and the Gretna Police Department Training Academy.

He is past President of the Louisiana Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. He is a member of the Louisiana District Judges Association. He is immediate past President of the Fifth Circuit Judges Association, is a member of the Judicial Division of the American Bar Association, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, the American Judges Association and both the National and Louisiana Association of Drug Court Professionals.

Judge Burmaster is married to the former Maria Ribando who is a dentist with a private practice in Marrero. They have 3 sons, They reside in Jefferson Parish.