Members of Louisiana's legal community were left saddened last week after a retired member of the state's highest judicial body passed away.

According to Lake Charles' 7 KPLC, former state Supreme Court Justice Marcus R. Clark died at the age of 68 at his home in Gainesville, Georgia.

Clark originally sought a career in law enforcement

The late justice's obituary recalls how he was born in Sulphur, Louisiana and grew up working at a washateria that his family owned. Clark was also heavily involved in the Boy Scouts of America, through which he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.

Initially wanting to become a police officer, Clark studied criminal justice at Northeast Louisiana University, which is now known as the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

After obtaining his Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1978, Clark became a deputy with the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Department which subsequently promoted him to the rank of detective.

However, Clark later decided to become a lawyer and earned a Juris Doctorate from Louisiana State University's Paul M. Hebert Law Center.

From assistant district attorney to state Supreme Court justice

From there, he was taken on by the Ouachita Parish District Attorney's Office as an assistant district attorney where he became chief felony drug prosecutor in 1990.

Seven years later, Clark won an open district judge seat in the 4th Judicial District and presided over the Drug Court between 2000 and 2001.

He was elected to the Louisiana Supreme Court in 2009 to fill out the unexpired portion of Justice Chet Traylor's term and then successfully ran for a 10-year term of his own in 2016.

Clark retired from the bench in 2020, after which he focused on boating in Lake Lanier near Gainesville alongside his friends and family.

The former jurist is survived by his wife Allyson Clark, their children Nicole Clark Smith (Chase) and Cooper Charles Clark, as well as their grandchildren Addie and Patrick Smith.

Louisiana AG: Clark "will be greatly missed by all"

Clark's passing was met with tributes on social media, including from Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, who referenced his passing along with that of Justice Jeffrey P. Victory.

Louisiana Supreme Court Justices Marcus Clark and Jeffrey P. Victory were warriors for justice and will be greatly missed by all. I’ll be praying for both of their families in their time of mourning. 🙏

— Attorney General Liz Murrill (@AGLizMurrill) September 27, 2024

"Louisiana Supreme Court Justices Marcus Clark and Jeffrey P. Victory were warriors for justice and will be greatly missed by all," she wrote. "I'll be praying for both of their families in their time of mourning."