District Attorney Hillar C. Moore, III, serves East Baton Rouge and the 19th Judicial Court from a people-first position that prioritizes public safety while modernizing prosecution practices for the welfare of everyone involved in criminal justice investigations. Drawing on over 40 years of experience with the legal system, Hillar Moore values collaboration at all levels to prevent crime, enhance public safety, and strengthen community infrastructure. Evidenced by his presence at every crime scene and open invitation to meet with citizens to hear their concerns, Hillar’s tireless work ethic and compassion for survivors guide his actions as a prosecutor, victim’s advocate, and public servant.

Since taking office in 2009, Hillar has confronted complex, deeply rooted threats to children, women, and families, including domestic violence, sexual assault, and opioid addiction. Under his leadership, the DA’s Office spearheads several ongoing initiatives like Stop the Loss and TRUCE, which employ innovative and non-traditional methods to identify abusers, reduce violence, and save lives. When faced with a steep rise in homicide and opioid-related deaths, Hillar successfully secured grant funding to help law enforcement officers to conduct more thorough investigations, gather covert intelligence, and collect and report uniform data of drug related violent crime, thereby enabling them to build more substantial and effective cases against drug dealers. He continuously fosters inter-agency collaboration and cultivates the necessary cross-sector partnerships with community stakeholders at all levels to identify issues plaguing the community and to respond with innovative and effective solutions. As such, Hillar has transformed the Office’s conventional role in the community and expanded its impact beyond prosecution in the courtroom to encompass numerous sustained investments in the community it serves.

While in private practice, Hillar recognized that expungement could significantly improve citizens’ employment prospects and their family’s future for those citizens who carry a criminal record. Staffed by volunteers from the DA’s Office and other local agencies, the Baton Rouge Easy Expungement Screening (BREES) program aims to streamline the often arduous and expensive process.

Following the tragic loss in 2017 of Max Gruver, who died while pledging at the Louisiana State University chapter of Phi Delta Theta, Hillar sought to clarify legislation surrounding the prosecution of hazing, leading to the Max Gruver Act. The act created a felony hazing charge if a victim dies or is seriously injured and instituted state-wide hazing definitions, penalties, and prevention education. Under the previous law, hazing was considered a misdemeanor and was outlined in one sentence. Hazing is now considered a felony if a victim dies or is seriously injured.

Now in his third term, Hillar Moore leads one of the most diverse offices in the nation. Firmly woven into the fabric of East Baton Rouge, Hillar regularly volunteers with the: Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, Baton Rouge Children’s Advocacy Center’s Celebrity Waiter, Junior League of Baton Rouge’s Touch-a-Truck, Toys for Tots, NAACP, Sexual Trauma Awareness & Response, St. Vincent De Paul’s Turkey Carving Contest, 100 Black Men of Baton Rouge, and many others. Hillar Moore’s consistent and vigorous action demonstrates that he is more interested in building community than building cases.