The first woman elected to Louisiana's Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal is now the first woman to become its chief judge.
Judge Susan Chehardy is the ninth chief judge of the court, which was established in Gretna in 1982.
Chehardy was elected in 1998. As chief judge, she succeeds Marion F. Edwards, who retired after more than 14 years on the court.
Judge Fredericka Homberg Wicker succeeds Chehardy as the court's deputy chief judge.
Cheryl Quirk Landrieu, the court's long-time research attorney, was sworn in Wednesday as the court's third clerk of court, and the first woman to hold the position. She succeeds Peter J. Fitzgerald, Jr., who retired Dec. 31 after more than 30 years.