Vanessa Harris
Vanessa Harris is an American lawyer and judge serving as judge pro tempore of the Lafayette City Court. She was the first woman and African-American Opelousas City Court Judge. Harris was an assistant district attorney in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana from 1988 to 2008. Early life and education 
Harris is from Washington, Louisiana. Her father, Aaron Harris, is a lawyer. Alonzo Harris is her brother. She earned a B.S. in computer science at Southern University in 1985. She completed a J.D. at Southern University Law Center in 1988. Career 
Harris worked at the Harris & Harris Law Firm with her father, Aaron Harris since 1988. She was an assistant district attorney in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana from 1988 to 2008. Harris prosecuted juvenile cases and worked on civil cases like school truancies. Harris was elected on January 1, 2009 to serve on the Opelousas City Court. She is the first woman and African American to serve on that court. She retired in December 2020. In December 2021, Harris was appointed by the Louisiana Supreme Court to serve as judge pro tempore of the Lafayette City Court from December 17, 2021 through February 28, 2022. She replaces Michelle Odinet. Harris is the first African-American judge appointed to the Lafayette City Court. Personal life 
Harris was married to Howard Kennerson. She is married to Senic M. Batiste. She has three daughters. References 

Living people
Year of birth missing (living people)
People from Washington, Louisiana
21st-century American judges
African-American judges
20th-century American women lawyers
20th-century American lawyers
21st-century American women lawyers
21st-century American lawyers
Louisiana lawyers
African-American women lawyers
Southern University Law Center alumni
21st-century African-American women
20th-century African-American women
21st-century American women judges
20th-century African-American lawyers
21st-century African-American lawyers