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ABOUT KEITH
Justin Keith Gates is a Louisiana attorney, judge, educator, and civic leader whose career reflects deep commitment to public service, the rule of law, and community engagement. Born in Natchitoches in 1982, he earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Northwestern State University, graduating magna cum laude, before completing both his Bachelor of Civil Law and Juris Doctor degrees at Louisiana State University.
Gates began his legal career as a law clerk to Justice Jeffrey P. Victory at the Louisiana Supreme Court. He then practiced with Mahtook & Lafleur in Lafayette, handling state and federal litigation involving personal injury, wrongful death,
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and property damage. In 2011 he co‑founded Cause of Action Institute in Washington, D.C., litigating matters before federal agencies and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Since returning home in 2012, he has maintained a diverse civil and criminal practice in Winnfield, representing clients in federal and state courts, including significant cases involving constitutional issues, administrative law, and complex tort litigation.
Since 2021, Gates has served as Judge of the Winnfield City Court, presiding over hundreds of civil, misdemeanor, and juvenile matters annually. He conducts arraignments, pleas, trials, sentencing, probation reviews, and acts as committing magistrate in felony cases.
In addition to his judicial duties, Gates teaches law courses at Northwestern State University in the Pre-Law Program. He is deeply involved in Masonic leadership, holding numerous statewide offices, and has served on boards for civic, charitable, and religious organizations throughout Louisiana.
He and his wife, Amber, reside in Winnfield, Louisiana. They are members of First Baptist Church where he serves as an administrative deacon and pianist.