John B. Fournet

John Baptiste Fournet
Louisiana State Representative from St. Martin Parish
In office 1928–1932
Preceded by	J.H. Heinen
Succeeded by	John T. Hood
Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives
In office 1928–1932
Preceded by	William Clark Hughes
Succeeded by	Allen J. Ellender
35th Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana
In office 1932–1935
Governor	Oscar K. Allen
Preceded by	Alvin O. King
Succeeded by	Thomas C. Wingate
Associate Justice, Louisiana Supreme Court
In office 1935–1949
Preceded by	Winston Overton
Chief Justice, Louisiana Supreme Court
In office 1949–1970
Preceded by	Charles A. O’Neill
Succeeded by	Mitchell J. Rabalais
Personal details
Born	(1895-07-27)July 27, 1895 St. Martinville, St. Martin Parish, Louisiana, United States
Died	June 3, 1984(1984-06-03) (aged 88) Jackson, Hinds County, Mississippi
Resting place	Fournet Cemetery in St. Martinville, Louisiana
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Rose, Sylvia Ann
Parent(s)	Louis Michel and Marcelite Gauthier Fournet
Occupation	Attorney, Educator

John Baptiste Fournet (July 27, 1895 – June 3, 1984) was an American attorney and politician who served as Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives, lieutenant governor of Louisiana from 1932 to 1935, and a justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court, serving as an associate justice from 1935 to 1949, and as Chief Justice by seniority from 1949 to 1970.

Early life, education, and career

Born in St. Martinville, Fournet attended Louisiana State Normal College, and was a teacher, and even principal at Morganza High School for a period before entering the law school of LSU in 1917. His studies were interrupted by service in World War I, after which he received an LL.B. from Louisiana State University in 1920.

Political and judicial career

A supporter of Huey P. Long, Fournet served in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1928 to 1932, and as lieutenant governor of Louisiana from 1932 to 1935, when Fournet was elected to the Louisiana Supreme Court. Fournet was walking next to Long when the latter was assassinated later that year.

Fournet became chief justice of Louisiana by seniority in 1949, and remained on the court until 1970, when he reached the maximum age of service of 75.