John W. deGravelles

John Wheadon deGravelles (born in 1949) is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, based in the capital city of Baton Rouge.

Biography

DeGravelles is the son of the late Charles deGravelles and Virginia deGravelles, Louisiana Republicans who were once members of the Republican National Committee. The senior deGravelleses were on the RNC at the same time in 1968. DeGravelles has a twin brother, Charles Nations deGravelles, an Episcopalian archdeacon, were born on November 2, 1949, in Lafayette, Louisiana. His sister, Ann McBride Norton, who died in 2020, was head of the public interest group Common Cause from 1995 to 1999.

DeGravelles received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1971 from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. He received a Juris Doctor in 1974 from the Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center with Order of the Coif designation.

From 1974 to 1986, he worked at the law firm of Dué, Dodson, deGravelles, Robinson & Caskey (and its predecessor firms), becoming a partner in 1976. He was a solo practitioner from 1986 to 1987. Starting in 1987, he was a partner at deGravelles, Palmintier, Holthaus & Frugé LLP (and its predecessor firms). During his career, he has handled a wide variety of civil litigation in state and federal courts. He received a hearing before the United States Senate Judiciary Committee on May 20, 2014. On June 19, 2014, his nomination was reported out of committee by a voice vote. On July 16, 2014, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid filed a motion to invoke cloture on deGravelles nomination. On July 22, 2014, the Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 57–39 vote. Later that day, deGravelles was confirmed by a 100–0 vote. He received his judicial commission on July 23, 2014. In October 2015, deGravelles issued a temporary restraining order that blocked the administration of then Governor Bobby Jindal from defunding Planned Parenthood within the state. Jindal spokesman Mike Reed said the state would appeal deGravelles' ruling. In November 2024, deGravelles issued a preliminary injunction blocking a new Louisiana law requiring public schools to display the Ten Commandments, ruling that the statute is unconstitutional. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill promised to appeal. In December 2025, deGravelles permanently blocked enforcement of the Louisiana Secure Online Child Interaction and Age Limitation Act, which required social media companies to verify user ages and implement parental consent mechanisms. The Louisiana Attorney General filed an appeal in the Fifth Circuit in January 2026. On May 3, 2026 deGravelles ruled Senate Bill 256 unconstitutional and blocked the state from eliminating the office of Clerk of the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court, which would have prevented Calvin Duncan, elected to the position in November 2025, from taking Office.