After more than three decades of continuous service on the bench, Judge Brenza Irving Jones has announced her retirement from the Office of Workers’ Compensation, District One East in Monroe. Her retirement will officially take effect on May 30, 2026.
Judge Jones’s departure marks the end of an era for the local legal community; her appointment to the bench thirty-three years ago coincided directly with the historic opening of the region’s very first Office of Workers’ Compensation court.
“It has been the highest privilege of my professional life to serve as a member of the Court,” Judge Jones said in a statement. “I leave with a sense of accomplishment and gratitude. I have truly enjoyed my years of service to the bench, the bar and the public”.
Reflecting on her lengthy judicial tenure, she expressed immense appreciation for the legal professionals and teams she collaborated with daily. “I have forged a lifetime of pleasant memories with my colleagues and the staff of District One East,” she noted, adding that it was deeply gratifying to witness the preparation and skill of the attorneys who practiced before her, as well as to have the vast majority of her judicial opinions affirmed by reviewing appellate courts.
A Legacy of Public Service
Long before she became a fixture of the workers’ compensation district, Judge Jones built a diverse and rigorous legal career across North Louisiana. She previously served as an Assistant District Attorney for the Louisiana Sixth Judicial District, which covers Madison, West Carroll, and Tensas Parishes.
Her extensive public advocacy background also includes stints as a staff attorney for the North Louisiana Legal Assistant Corporation, the Fourth Judicial District Indigent Defender Board, and the Louisiana Mental Health Advocacy Service. In addition to maintaining a wide-ranging private law practice, she helped shape the next generation of professionals as an adjunct professor at Grambling State University.
Beyond the courtroom, Judge Jones has been deeply embedded in regional civic life. She has served on the boards of directors for several high-profile non-profit organizations, including the American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity of Ouachita, and the United Way of Northeast Louisiana. She has also been a frequent guest speaker at area churches and professional seminars.
Family Roots and Next Chapters
A native of a family grounded in trailblazing achievement, Judge Jones is the daughter of Mr. Albert Irving and Coach Mary Jean Weir Irving. Her mother, Coach Irving, was notably the first African American female to be inducted into the Mississippi Coaches Hall of Fame. Judge Jones is married to Billy Jones, and the couple shares a son, Given Canaan Jones.
It is that very role of family that ultimately inspired her to hang up her robe. When asked what prompted her decision to step down while still fully invigorated by her work, Judge Jones pointed to a calling closer to home.
“A more important title has prompted my decision to retire. It is the title of ‘mother,'” she shared. “My son is about to embark upon his senior year of high school. Thus, my schedule will include official college tours and new adventures with him”.
While she is prioritizing family in the immediate future, Judge Jones emphasized that her journey within the legal field is not entirely over. Guided by her deep faith, she plans to keep her options open for the future.
“I believe God appointed me to my current position,” she stated. “As this chapter in my career closes, I will await His new assignment. I pray my forthcoming blessings will be equivalent to the blessings I have received as judge”.
