UPDATE: The Supreme Court announced Monday that Judge Emile R. St. Pierre has been assigned as judge pro tempore to replace Jessie Leblanc.

St. Pierre will take up the spot starting Tuesday and remain through Aug. 31, 2020 unless a permanent replacement is found before then. 

*****

NAPOLEONVILLE - A short-term replacement has been named to Judge Jessie Leblanc's seat a day after she resigned amid national outcry over her use of racial slurs.

The Louisiana Supreme Court confirmed Friday evening that Judge Jerome J. Barbera, III, would take over Leblanc's seat temporarily. Barbera is assigned to take over through Thursday, March 5, unless a replacement is found before then.

The news comes just a day after Leblanc submitted a bridge-burning resignation letter amid mounting pressure for her to remove herself from the bench. Just a week earlier, the WBRZ Investigative Unit exposed a slew of racist text messages she sent to a deputy with whom she was having an affair.

Leblanc has since admitted to sending those messages.