Alexander Coker Van Hook at a glance
- Current role
- Judge
- Court
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana
- Jurisdiction
- Louisiana · Federal
- Judicial service
- January 12, 2026–present
Alexander Coker Van Hook
Judge · U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana
Available research
Loading public docket analytics…
Loading public docket analytics…
Biography
Professional career
- Professional Career: Special counsel to the U.S. attorney, 2022-2024
- Professional Career: Law clerk, Hon. Henry A. Politz, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, 1997-1998
- Professional Career: Acting U.S. attorney, 2020-2021, 2025
- Professional Career: Assistant U.S. attorney, Western District of Louisiana, 1999-2025
- Professional Career: Law clerk, Hon. Tom Stagg, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, 1998-1999
- Professional Career: First assistant U.S. attorney, 2010-2017, 2018-2020, 2021-2022, 2024-2025
- Professional Career: Acting/interim U.S. attorney, 2017-2018
Education
- Louisiana State University · J.D., 1997
- Centenary College · B.A., 1993
Courtroom rules and guidance
Civil Remote Testimony
In federal district-court civil proceedings, testimony is ordinarily taken in open court; remote contemporaneous testimony requires good cause in compelling circumstances and appropriate safeguards.
For good cause in compelling circumstances and with appropriate safeguards, the court may permit testimony in open court by contemporaneous transmission from a different location.Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court ↗
Criminal Recording And Broadcasting
Federal district courts may not permit courtroom photography or broadcasting during criminal judicial proceedings unless a statute or another federal rule provides an exception.
Except as otherwise provided by a statute or these rules, the court must not permit the taking of photographs in the courtroom during judicial proceedings or the broadcasting of judicial proceedings from the courtroom.Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited ↗
Sources
Federal Judicial Center biography
Identity source · HTML · checked July 25, 2026
https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762097Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court
Judge research source · HTML · checked July 26, 2026
https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedureFederal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited
Judge research source · HTML · checked July 26, 2026
https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts