Noted community leader, acclaimed jurist and impressive teacher Judge Steven Plotkin passes away

THE HONORABLE STEVEN R. PLOTKIN, former Louisiana Civil District Judge and Fourth Circuit Appellate Judge, passed away on Monday, August 25, 2025. He was 89.

JUDGE STEVEN R. PLOTKIN

A resident of New Orleans for his entire lifetime, his philosophy of life was: “A sound mind, a healthy body, a productive life, and a loving family.” His work ethic was inspiring and to that end he never stopped exploring, reading, exercising, and learning.

Judge Plotkin was born of humble beginnings in New Orleans in 1936 and was a graduate of Alcee Fortier High School and a 1956 graduate of Tulane University with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He received his Juris Doctorate from Tulane Law School in 1959 while serving in the United States Army Reserve as an enlisted soldier, and received an honorable discharge in 1961.

He married the love of his life, Lynn née Gertler, in July of 1965 and went on earn his Master of Laws Degree (LLM) from the University of Virginia Law School in 1986. After admission to the Louisiana State Bar in 1959, Judge Plotkin began his legal career by starting his own firm and remained the senior partner until 1978.

During this 19-year period he tried over five hundred criminal and civil jury and non-jury trials. He also served as president of the Greater New Orleans Trial Lawyers Association.

Judge Plotkin was appointed an Assistant District Attorney in New Orleans in 1961 and served until 1965. He was appointed Judge Ad Hoc to the New Orleans Municipal Court in 1977 and was then elected to the Civil District Court in 1978 and then reelected in 1982, serving until 1988.

He was well known for having the fastest trial docket on the trial court. In 1988 he was elected to the Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal, reelected for a 10-year term without opposition in 1998, and retired in 2002.

After serving 24 years in government service, he became a full time mediator, arbitrator, and legal consultant in cases that involved major complex litigation. He was a Special Discovery Master in a major complex litigation trial from 2010-2014.

During Judge Plotkin’s legal career he published 35 law articles, three law review articles, two book reviews and a three-volume tome on Louisiana Civil Procedure, which is currently used as an authority on Civil Procedure. During his tenure as a district judge he decided hundreds of civil cases. As an appellate judge he was the author of many significant judicial opinions, having been the writer in over three hundred appellate cases. All his decisions were well-reasoned, thoughtful, and fair. Many of his opinions were published and reviewed in national legal journals.

Judge Plotkin was directly involved in many judicial and teaching activities. He was a member of the board and the Executive Committee of the Louisiana Judicial College, where he was the chairman, creator and lecturer of the orientation for all new judges from inception to his retirement (1989-2002) as well as other programs sponsored by the Judicial College.

As a member of the Louisiana Bar Association, he served as chairman of committees on Mandatory Continuing Legal Education, Professionalism & Quality of Life, and the Composition & Administration of the Judiciary for more than 10 years. He served as professor and director of all civil law courses at the National Judicial College, in Reno, Nevada, the training program for state judges. In connection with the Master of Judicial Studies program, he served on the Admission, Thesis and Advisory Committees. He was also a 14-year faculty member teaching International Comparative Law to judges and received the Distinguished Teaching Award multiple times.

Judge Plotkin devoted 15 consecutive years to the New Orleans Bar Association as host of the locally televised TV series “It’s the Law”, which won numerous journalism awards for its content and quality. In addition, he served on their long-range planning committee, their Bench-Bar Conference, and the Committee to Improve the Administration of Justice. He served as chairman of the Louisiana Board of Examiners of Certified Shorthand Reporters for four years.

As a member of the American Law Institute, he worked on the Restatement of the Law of Torts: Products Liability, Apportion of Liability and Transnational Rules of Civil Procedure. From 1987-1992 he served on the National Board of Governors for the Association of Trial Lawyers of America and was Chairman of the Louisiana Branch of the International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists. He was a member of the American Bar Association, American Judicature Society, International Academy of Law and Science, American Judges Association, American Board of Trial Advocates and the World Peace through Law Association.

Judge Plotkin was deeply involved in teaching internationally. He was the first and only full time Louisiana Judge to receive a Fulbright Foreign Scholarship award to teach law in Sofia, Bulgaria. While there, in 1999, he was appointed to the Fulbright Bulgarian-American Commission for educational exchange. Thereafter, he received two more Fulbright awards to Thessaloniki, Greece, and the Republic of Moldova, teaching American and International Law to undergraduates, graduate students, and judges. In addition, he received three special Fulbright grants for short term teaching appointments. As an Adjunct Professor of Law with the Tulane University School of Law, he taught in Rhodes, Greece for 20 summers and once each in London, England and Jerusalem, Israel. For the United States Information Agency, he taught law in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Omsk, Russia. He drafted the Code of Judicial Ethics for the Russian Judiciary. Other foreign teaching appointments include the Dominican Republic and Dublin, Ireland.

As a legal consultant, he drafted the Bulgarian Code of Judicial Conduct and Disciplinary Enforcement Rules and taught most of the judges the contents of the Code of Conduct. In the Republic of Moldova, he drafted the Law of Conflicts of Interests, the Code of Judicial Ethics, the Model of Internal Rules of Court, and the Rights and Duties of the Judicial Inspector in Moldova. Thereafter, he returned to Chisināu, Moldova (formerly Kishinev) to train every sitting judge and all court administrators in the country on the Code of Ethics and Conflicts of Interests.

Throughout his life, Judge Plotkin had an insatiable love of learning and teaching. In addition to his work as a lawyer and judge, he taught and lectured for several academic institutions and bar associations for many years. His first New Orleans teaching opportunity was with Judge Oliver Carriere at the Loyola University Law School lecturing on “The Lawyering Process.” Afterwards, he became an Adjunct Professor of Law at Tulane Law School, first serving as co-director of Trial Advocacy, wherein he and Julian Murray created the first Trial Advocacy Program for Tulane Law students. After 15 years he was selected to teach a course on Louisiana Tort Law. He taught regularly for 29 years at Tulane Law School. During this period, he served on the Tulane’s Dean Council, Dean’s Search Committee, the committee to build a new law school and chaired and lectured for various legal programs. While working with the Tulane School of Law and also serving as a full-time judge, he was selected to teach Trial Advocacy at Harvard Law School and lectured at Harvard Law for 33 years. After Hurricane Katrina, he was invited to teach Business Law at the University of New Orleans where he taught for 10 years as an Adjunct Professor of Law.

He delighted in being a mentor, advisor, and guide for his students and was proud of their accomplishments. He lectured on various programs for multiple bar associations throughout his career. Throughout his 40-year academic career he developed lifelong friendships with his students, colleagues, and staff. He enjoyed receiving birthday cards, emails, and occasional visits from them over the years. His national and international students remained in close contact with the Judge until his death.

He cherished his many friendships with a variety of friend groups and enjoyed dining and socializing with them into his retirement. His friends were especially important to him, and he loved being in their company, discussing novel and legal issues of the day and debating national and local politics.

The honors, accolades and awards garnered by Judge Plotkin over the years were quite numerous, and include the Louisiana State Bar Foundation’s Distinguished Jurist Award, The Association of Trial Lawyers of America’s Judicial Achievement Award for the State of Louisiana, the New Orleans Bar Association’s Distinguished Judicial Award, Tulane Law School’s Distinguished Teacher Award, an Honorary Order of the Coif from Tulane Law School, Jefferson Bar Association Auxiliary’s Outstanding Judge in Louisiana Award, and the Republic of Moldova’s Distinguished Teaching Award.

Judge Plotkin was a 33rd degree Mason. He was Past Master of Jefferson Lodge # 191, a District Deputy Grand Master for the 17th Masonic District, a member of the Scottish Rite Consistory (Valley of Orleans) and a member of Jerusalem Temple as a Shriner. He was a Master Mason for over 60 years and remained active until his death.

Judge Plotkin was extraordinarily active in community activities. He was immensely proud of the fact that he ran in three marathons, including the New York and New Orleans Marathons. He chartered and was an original member of the Pete Fountain Half Fast Walking Club and remained an active member throughout his life. He served on the Board of Directors of the New Orleans Opera Association, the New Orleans Symphony, the Louisiana Geriatric Education Center, the American Lung Association on both a national and local level, the YMCA (Lee Circle), YMCA (Dryades Street), World Affairs Council of New Orleans, Zionist Organization of America, and the Community Concert Series.

He was chairman of the City of New Orleans Hospitality Committee under Mayors Dutch Morial and Sidney Barthelemy. Over the years he became enthusiastic about duplicate bridge as a hobby. During the COVID shutdown, he began to play bridge online and became proficient in his play. He served on the Board of Directors for the Bridge Association of Louisiana and became a bridge Life Master at 87.

Judge Plotkin enjoyed his Jewish life, which influenced him in many ways. Jewish values shaped his ideas of justice, morality, and ethics. He was extraordinarily proud when he and his wife Lynn were presented an award by the State of Israel for their outstanding participation in the Israel Bond program for the promotion of peace and the fulfillment of its spiritual and cultural rebirth.
He was a third-generation member of Congregation Gates of Prayer, a Board of Trustees member for over 50 years and was president of the congregation for three years. Under his leadership as president, the congregation raised the funds to purchase land, design, and construct its new synagogue in Metairie. He remained active and supportive in congregation throughout his life. Three generations of Plotkins have led the congregation as president during its more than 175-year history. His grandchildren are now fifth-generation members.

All of Judge Plotkin’s accomplishments and accolades paled in comparison to his pride in, and love for his family, particularly his devoted wife of 60 years. A mutual friend suggested that he call her because she was home for the summer from college. They dated, fell in love, and married in 1965 when she was 21 and starting her senior year at Newcomb. The judge regarded her legal advice as an attorney as of instrumental assistance. Throughout their marriage, Judge Plotkin and his wife enjoyed car and mobile home trips which they shared with their children across America. Throughout their long marriage, they traveled together all over the world, had adventures in backpacking and hiking, took cruises, and enjoyed their time visiting foreign countries.

In addition to his wife, Lynn Gertler Plotkin, he is survived by his children and their spouses, Louis “Lee” L. Plotkin (Jill), Dr. Scott R. Plotkin (Candace) of Brookline, MA. and Rachel M. Plotkin Jaffe (Mark) all of whom are distinguished and accomplished in their professions and endeavors; his sister Elinor “Hedy” P. Sussman (Gerald) and brother R. Ronald Plotkin (Caren); his seven grandchildren and his one great-grandchild, all of whom brought extraordinary joy to him during his life.

Judge Plotkin was an amazing man who led an amazing life. He left a legacy of love, learning, generosity, and a curiosity about the universe and a family that loved him dearly. Funeral services will be conducted on Thursday, August 28, 2025, at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home Chapel at 12 noon. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. Interment will follow at Gates of Prayer Cemetery, 1428 Joseph Street in New Orleans, Louisiana.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts in his name can be made to Scott Plotkin’s Fund for Support of Neuro-Oncology and Neurofibromatosis (NF)Activities at Mass General Cancer Center. Checks may be made out to: Massachusetts General Hospital c/o MGH Development Office, 125 Nashua Street, Suite 540, Boston MA. 02114 with “In Memory of Judge Steven Plotkin” in the memo section. Gifts can also be made online at: https://giving.massgeneral.org/donate/. Contributions may be also made to the charity of your choice.