Chief Justice Catherine "Kitty" Kimball
NEW ORLEANS – The Chief Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court has announced she will be stepping down.
Chief Justice Catherine "Kitty" Kimball released a statement saying she would retire from the court in January 2013.
The 67-year-old Democrat from Alexandria has had health problems in recent years after suffering a stroke in 2010 and said she wants to be able to spend more quality time with her family.
Kimball was first elected to the court in 1992 and was sworn in as Chief Justice in 2009. In all, Kimball has spent 30 years as a judge in Louisiana.
Once her retirement is official, a special election will be held to elect a successor who will serve the remaining portion of her term that is set to expire in 2018.