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Jeannette Knoll

b. 1943

American judge

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About Jeannette Knoll

Born 1943. Jeannette Knoll is an American lawyer, opera singer and judge.

Alicia Jeannette Theriot Knoll (born January 23, 1943) is a former member of the Louisiana Supreme Court.

Knoll announced that she would retire at the end of 2016 rather than seek re-election. She was succeeded by James T. Genovese (born August 1949), who defeated Republican Marilyn C. Castle, 133,369 votes (51%) to 128,598 (49%), in the primary election held on November 8, 2016. This was the same day as the presidential balloting. The Louisiana Secretary of State lists Genovese as a Republican on its election returns, but as a registered Independent on the voter portal. He may have switched registration after his election, or one of the party labels may be incorrect. She filled the vacancy on the Louisiana Supreme Court due to the early retirement of Justice Genovese until newly elected Justice Cade R. Cole could take office. Cole was once Knoll's law clerk and she swore him into office in 2025.

Background A native of Baton Rouge, Alicia, known as Jeannette, is one of 10 children of Alfred Joseph Theriot and the former Marie Bailey. Reared in Gueydan in Vermilion Parish in southwestern Louisiana, she moved with her family to New Orleans, where she graduated from St. James Major High School. winning with 34,562 votes (53.4 percent) to 30,124 (46.6 percent). Mansour won his home parish, Rapides by 7,000 votes.

In 1992, Knoll won all eight parishes to gain her second 10-year term on the appeals court. She defeated the Edward Larvadain, Jr., an African-American attorney from Alexandria, with 47,581 votes (81%) to 11,165 (19%).

On September 21, 1996, Knoll was elected to the Louisiana Supreme Court seat for the Third District, which encompassed all or parts of 11 parishes. She defeated fellow Democrat Jack Crozier Watson, a lawyer from Lake Charles, 102,560 (54.7%) to 84,861 (45.3%) and won by a three-to-one margin in Avoyelles Parish. She joined the Supreme Court on January 1, 1997. In 2006, Knoll was unopposed for her second and final 10-year term on the high court.

From 1972 to 1982, Knoll had been the first assistant district attorney for the 12th Judicial District Court in Marksville. Her husband, Jerold Edward "Eddie" Knoll, Sr. (born 1941), son of the late Edmond Knoll and the former Myrtle Humphries of Simmesport in Avoyelles Parish, a Democrat, was elected in 1976 as the 32nd district attorney for the 12th District, serving from 1977 to 2003. Earlier, Jeannette Knoll had served as the public defender for indigent cases in Avoyelles Parish. She also represented pro bono the Selective Service System board in Marksville.

Knoll was an instructor for the Louisiana Judicial College and a past president of the Business and Professional Women's Foundation. In 1995 and 2002, she received the Outstanding Judicial Award from the crime-fighting interest group, Victims and Citizens Against Crime, Inc. Still another group, Louisiana Crimefighters, named her "Outstanding Jurist of the Year".

Jeannette and Eddie Knoll have four living sons. Their oldest son, Triston Kane Knoll (1971-2011), practiced law in Marksville with his father and brothers until his death in Alexandria, at the age of 39. He was inducted in 2007 into the Louisiana Justice Hall of Fame.

In 2000, Knoll was inducted into the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield. Former Chief Justice Catherine D. Kimball was inducted in 2011.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
University of Virginia School of Law, Loyola University New Orleans, Mannes College The New School for Music, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Also known as
Alicia Jeannette Theriot Knoll

People in Jeannette Knoll's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Jeannette Knoll's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Jeannette Knoll?

American judge

When was Jeannette Knoll born?

Jeannette Knoll was born on 23 January 1943 in Baton Rouge.

What is Jeannette Knoll's occupation?

Jeannette Knoll is a lawyer, opera singer and judge.

What nationality is Jeannette Knoll?

Jeannette Knoll is American.

Sources & further reading

Β· Wikipedia: Jeannette Knoll

Β· Wikidata: Q16106315

Β· DBpedia: Jeannette Knoll

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jeannette Knoll. https://biography.guide/jeannette-knoll/

MLA: "Jeannette Knoll." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jeannette-knoll/.

Chicago: "Jeannette Knoll." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jeannette-knoll/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 Β· Spot an error? Report a correction.

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