Anthony J. Saleme Jr., a 23-year veteran of the 16th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, has officially announced his candidacy for District Court Judge – Division F of the Sixteenth Judicial District Court to replace the soon retiring Judge Gregory Aucoin.

Saleme is a graduate of Central Catholic High School of Morgan City, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (formerly the University of Southwestern Louisiana) and the Loyola University College of Law. He began his legal career as a law clerk for the 16th Judicial District Court, Division C, working for the Honorable Edward A. delaHoussaye and the Honorable John E. Conery.

After a short time in private practice, Saleme was sworn in as a full-time Assistant District Attorney in St. Martin Parish under District Attorney Bernard E. Boudreaux on Sept. 8, 1997. In January 2004, Saleme was transferred to the District Attorney’s Office in St. Mary Parish by District Attorney J. Phil Haney. Haney appointed Saleme as the head of the St. Mary Parish Office in 2013.

Saleme’s courtroom experience includes having tried over 40 jury trials and over 200 bench trials. In his 23 years in the District Attorney’s Office, Saleme said, he has personally handled over 11,000 cases and has overseen the handling of an additional 10,000 prosecutions by Assistant District Attorneys working under his supervision. During his tenure, Saleme has worked with every department in the 16th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

“I truly feel that my knowledge and understanding of the law, my 26 years in practice and my years of work in the courtroom qualify me as the most experienced candidate in this race,” Saleme said. “And now, more than ever, the people of the 16th Judicial District need a judge they can trust and a judge who knows what they’re doing in the courtroom.”

Saleme has lived his entire life in the 16th Judicial District, in both St. Martin and St. Mary parishes. He and his wife, Chelle Bourgeois Saleme, live in Morgan City and have four children, Anthony (16), Sofia (14), Franco (12) and Stella (9). They are parishioners of Holy Cross Catholic Church where both actively serve as lay ministers. Saleme is a member of the Knights of Columbus Council 1710 in Patterson and is a member of the Louisiana and National District Attorneys’ Associations, the St. Mary Parish Bar Association (of which he is a former president), the Louisiana State Bar Association and the Inn on the Teche Chapter of the American Inns of Court. Saleme also holds memberships in the Franklin Rotary Club, National Rifle Association and Ducks Unlimited.

The primary election is set for Tuesday, Nov. 3, with early voting scheduled for Oct. 20 through Oct. 27.

“I invite everyone from our district to educate themselves on the importance of our district court system, the qualifications of selecting their judges, as well as taking the time to review all of the candidates’ qualifications. Most importantly, exercise your constitutional right and cast your vote in the upcoming elections,” Saleme said.

More information on Saleme including information about the election can be found on his Committee to Elect website at www.SalemeForJudge.com or on the committee’s Facebook page.