Martinez, P. Davis

File prepared by Deanne Pardue.

From "Biographies of Louisiana Judges" edited by J. Cleveland Fruge' for the Louisiana District Judges Association, publishers.  1971.
Reproduction permitted without written permission provided credit line is retained.  Copyright, 1971, J. Cleveland Fruge'.

P. Davis Martinez, Judge, Seventeenth District Court, Division "B", Thibodaux, began the practice of law in Thibodaux just after being admitted to the Bar in 1934.  He practiced as an individual attorney from 1934 to 1950.  From 1940 to 1948, he served as Representative in the Louisiana Legislature.  In 1950 Governor Earl K. Long appointed him Judge of the 17th District and he was elected in 1954, re-elected in 1960, re-elected in 1966, where he now serves.

Judge Martinez was born in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, June 26, 1900. He is the son of Victor Martinez, a merchant who died January 15, 1940, and Anna Kramer Martinez, who died May 27, 1927.  He was educated in the Thibodaux public schools, where he was graduated from high school. In 1933 he won his LL.B. degree at Loyola University and in 1934 passed the Bar examination.

On April 30, 1941, Judge Martinez married Eva Ponson in Thibodaux.  Mrs. Martinez is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Ponson of Thibodaux. An ardent and faithful Catholic, Judge Martinez devotes much of his time to the service of the Church.  As a member of the Knights of Columbus, he served his Council as Grand Knight from 1938 to 1943 and has also served  as Faithful Navigator of Edward D. White Assembly.  He is now President of St. Vincent De Paul Society of St. Joseph's Catholic Church.  He is also Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Lafourche Council, Knights of Columbus Home Association.

In addition to his council and church activities, Judge Martinez also takes an active interest in the civic affairs of his community.  He is a past president of the Thibodaux Rotary Club, a member of the Thibodaux Chamber of Commerce, treasurer of the St. Joseph Parish Building Program, and has served as fund chairman of the 1953 Red Cross in Thibodaux.  He is currently President of the Louisiana Council of Juvenile Court Judges.  He is a member of the Board of Directors of Mary B. Welch Memorial Home, a non-profit corporation; member of the Board of Directors of the Lafourche Home for the Aged, a non-profit corporation; and a member of the Board of the Associated Charities of Lafourche, Terrebonne, and St. Mary Parishes.

The Judge's favorite hobby is hunting.