Judge Kurt D. Engelhardt, a member of the Brother Martin Class of 1978, has been named the Brother Martin High School 2023 Alumnus of the Year.

Judge Engelhardt is a Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, appointed by President Donald J. Trump in May of 2018. Judge Engelhardt was previously appointed by President George W. Bush to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana on December 13, 2001 and became Chief Judge of that Court on October 1, 2015, serving until his appointment to the Fifth Circuit. Prior to being appointed to the federal bench, Judge Engelhardt was a partner with the law firm Hailey, McNamara, Hall, Larmann & Papale in Metairie, Louisiana. He received his Bachelor of Arts in history in 1982 from LSU and received his law degree in 1985 from LSU Law School. 

Judge Engelhardt is a member of the Advisory Board of the New Orleans Chapter of The Federalist Society, a past member of the United States Judicial Conference Committee on Federal-State Jurisdiction, a member of the Board of Directors (and past president) of the New Orleans Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, a member of the American Judicature Society, a member of the District Judges Association of the Fifth Circuit, a member of the Federal Circuit Bar Association, and has attended the National Sentencing Policy Institute’s program in  Washington, D.C. He has served on the Fifth Circuit's Criminal Pattern Jury Instruction Committee, charged with updating and/or drafting pattern jury instructions for district judges within the jurisdiction of the United States Fifth Circuit. Recently, he was appointed by then Fifth Circuit Chief Judge Carl Stewart to chair the Circuit's Judicial Impairment Protocol Committee, established to create a framework for the judiciary to internally address disabilities of all types which may impact a judge's ability to handle his/her docket. On October 17, 2019, Judge Engelhardt was elected to membership in The American Law Institute. Judge Engelhardt has also been a member of the American Bar Association, Jefferson Bar Association, Louisiana State Bar Association, New Orleans Bar Association, and the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity. Judge Engelhardt serves on the Board of Directors of the Cancer Association of Greater New Orleans.

Judge Engelhardt is actively involved in the Brother Martin community and has served as a guest speaker for our Law Studies classes. He also participates in a number of Brothers of the Sacred Heart Alumni Association of New Orleans functions, including attending the Marty Gras Benefit Concert, the Golden Crusader Lunch, the President’s Dinner, and Alumni Band events. In addition to supporting Brother Martin High School, Judge Engelhardt is active in the local community and shares our love for our great city.