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Judge Harris has served as Judge for Section L of the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court since January 1, 2021. Her election in November 2020 made history when she became the first person to unseat an incumbent judge in 40 years, showing voters’ confidence in her vision for the Orleans Parish Criminal Court system. Judge Harris brings a unique perspective to the bench rooted in her years of fighting for justice as a civil rights attorney and public defender. She is committed to reimagining the criminal court system and ensuring that every person who enters the courtroom receives fair, impartial, and respectful treatment.
Judge Harris presides over Section L with a commitment to fairness, careful consideration of the law, and impartiality. Judge Harris is a judge who treats everyone—defendants, victims, attorneys, and court staff—with dignity and respect.
Judge Harris’ years of criminal law experience, from public defense to civil rights advocacy, inform her judicial decisions and commitment to justice. Judge Harris’ intellectual curiosity ensures that she avails herself to the latest trainings and legal theories.
Judge Harris is the Co-Founder of the Rise After Release Reentry Program. Judge Harris upholds the highest standards of judicial conduct and ethics. She serves with professionalism, integrity, and a commitment to the fair administration of justice.
Judge Harris is committed to the promise that brought her to the bench: reimagining the criminal court system in ways that advance fairness, transparency, and justice. Judge Harris has been nationally recognized for her innovative judicial approach.
Judge Harris embraces a judicial philosophy centered on dignity, collaboration, and practical solutions. Listen as Judge Harris discusses one of the inspirations behind her judicial philosophy.
During her time on the bench, Angel has been nationally recognized for her innovative judicial approach. In 2024, Angel was invited to lead a training at the Reimagining the Norm: A Peer Convening for Judicial Changemakers conference due to the “person-centered” lens she employs from the bench.
The convening hosted by DOJ’s Bureau of Justice Assistance brought judges from all over the country together to discuss therapeutic jurisprudence and build community. Judge Harris is also the Co-Founder of Rise After Release, a re-entry program created to address the resentencing of individuals convicted through nonunanimous jury verdicts. RAR is the first reentry program in the country to combine clinical support as well as peer navigators for its participants.