GIRLS RULE

District Court Judge De La Guardia’s law career took flight at MSU

Jefferson County is the most populous county in Kentucky. With an estimated population of more than 750,000 people, the judicial system can feel massive. No matter how large the sea of people is, though, you are sure to find multiple Eagles.

Judge Yvette De La Guardia (Class of 2010) came to MSU from Northern Kentucky. Her family’s roots, however, go far beyond the Bluegrass state. Her mom was born in New York City and her father is from Panama.

When it came to college, De La Guardia felt her options were limited. Ultimately, she decided to attend MSU, expecting to eventually transfer after her first year. After arriving, she found an unexpected home and decided against transferring.

De La Guardia had many expectations for her college experience—and she said MSU met them. She immersed herself in the MSU community, joining the Chi Omega Fraternity and the Student Government Association. As a first-generation college student, De La Guardia also got involved with MSU’s Student Support Services program.

“MSU and the Student Support Services staff never made me feel ashamed of my status as a first-gen student,” she said. “Both gave me more confidence in who I was and helped me be proud of my story and what I was striving to achieve.”

An English and philosophy major, De La Guardia had nothing but positive experiences with her professors. So, she took it to heart when one of her favorites encouraged her to consider studying law, which she did at the University of Kentucky.

De La Guardia went to law school knowing she wanted to be a juvenile defense attorney. After graduating in 2014, she was a trial attorney in the juvenile division of the Louisville Metro Public Defender’s Office. In 2022, after more than seven years as a trial and appellate attorney, a friend encouraged her to run for a judge’s seat. At first, she felt the prospect of winning an election was unrealistic. Public defenders rarely, if ever, go directly from a public defender role into a judicial seat.

De La Guardia had always embraced her Latin heritage. Because there were few Latinx leaders in Jefferson County’s local government, she knew Louisville’s Latin community was ready for representation, and in November 2022, she successfully won her judicial seat.

Though there is no doubt her years of hard work and dedication led her to this position, she also credits the journey to Morehead State.

“Some might think the opportunities at MSU are limited compared to other schools,” she said. “But that was not my experience. MSU gave me everything I needed to succeed, including the confidence to be the person I am today.”