Hearing Officer
Brandy G. Blanchard

Brandy Gosserand Blanchard was appointed as the Hearing Officer for the 18th Judicial District Court in August 2015. As the presiding Hearing Officer for the Parishes of Pointe Coupee, West Baton Rouge and Iberville, Mrs. Blanchard hears all family law cases filed in those parishes, including: criminal non-support, custody, child support, domestic violence litigation, spousal support, use of property, community property, and any other ancillary issue pending from divorce, custody or domestic violence litigation.

Mrs. Blanchard received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Louisiana State University in May, 2001. She obtained both a Juris Doctor and a Bachelor of Civil Law Degree from Louisiana State University's Paul M. Hebert Law Center in May, 2004. While in law school she worked as a law clerk for the LA Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Wildlife Division.

Upon graduation from law school in 2004, Mrs. Blanchard worked as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable James J. Best of the 18th Judicial District Court. She worked in the private practice from 2005 until her appointment as Hearing Officer in 2015, practicing primarily in the areas of family law, successions, real estate, contracts, and divorce and custody mediation.

In addition to her private practice, Mrs. Blanchard served as Pointe Coupee Parish Notary Commissioner from 2006 to 2008 and worked with the IRIS Domestic Violence Center (formerly the Battered Women's Program) from 2007 until her appointment as Hearing Officer in 2015.

Mrs. Blanchard has been a qualified mediator since 2010, and she is trained in Collaborative divorce. In addition, she has extensive domestic violence training and experience, having represented hundreds of protective order petitioners in protective order proceedings. She has been inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society, Golden Key National Honor Society and Psi Chi National Honor Society. She is also a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association, Louisiana Hearing Officers' Association, Louisiana Support Enforcement Association, Family Law Section of LSBA, Baton Rouge Bar Association Family Law Section and the American Bar Association.