Alexander Van Hook
American judge (born 1970)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alexander Coker Van Hook (born 1970) is an American lawyer who has served as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana since 2026. He previously served as acting United States attorney for the Western District of Louisiana from January 2025 to September 2025.
Louisiana State University (JD)
Alexander Van Hook | |
|---|---|
| |
| Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana | |
| Assumed office January 12, 2026 | |
| Appointed by | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Elizabeth Erny Foote |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1970 (age 55–56) Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Education | Centenary College of Louisiana (BA) Louisiana State University (JD) |
Early life and education
Van Hook was born in 1970, in Shreveport, Louisiana.[1] After starting at Louisiana State University, Van Hook received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1993 from the Centenary College of Louisiana. He received his Juris Doctor, Order of the Coif, in 1997 from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University. Van Hook served as a law clerk for Judge Tom Stagg of the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana from 1998 to 1999 and as a law clerk for Judge Henry Anthony Politz of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit from 1997 to 1998. Additionally, he served as a law clerk in the Office of Executive Counsel for Louisiana Governor Mike Foster from 1996 to 1997.[2][3][1]
Career
Van Hook served in the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana from 1999 to September 2025. He served as an assistant United States attorney from 1999 to 2007, deputy criminal chief from 2007 to 2010, Acting United States attorney from 2017 to 2018 and 2020 to 2021, special counsel to the United States attorney from 2022 to 2024, first assistant United States attorney from 2010 to 2017, 2018 to 2020, 2021 to 2022 and 2024 to 2025 and as acting United States attorney from January 2025 to September 2025.[2][3][1]
Federal judicial service
On October 20, 2025, President Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate Van Hook to an unspecified seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana.[2] On October 21, 2025, President Trump formally transmitted the nomination to the United States Senate, to the seat vacated by Judge Elizabeth Erny Foote.[4] On October 22, 2025, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on his nomination.[5] On November 20, the committee voted to report his nomination to the Senate by a 16–6 vote.[6] On December 18, the Senate voted to invoke cloture on his nomination by a 60–35 vote.[7] On January 8, 2026, his nomination was confirmed by a 53–40 vote.[8] He received his judicial commission on January 12, 2026.[9]
