Judge Carl Stewart was appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on May 9, 1994, becoming the first African-American nominated to the court. He was appointed by President Clinton. Carl Stewart was born to Corine and Richard Stewart, a postal worker, in Shreveport, Louisiana. He received his undergraduate degree from Dillard and his law degree from Loyola University School of Law in New Orleans.

After graduating from law school in 1974, Stewart began his professional career as a Captain in the Judge Advocate General's Corps. at Fort Sam in Houston, Texas. Thereafter, he returned to Louisiana in 1977, and practiced law at the Shreveport law firm of Piper & Brown (1977-1978). In 1978, Judge Stewart entered the public sector, becoming a Staff Attorney with the Louisiana Attorney General's Office in Shreveport.

From 1979 to 1983, he served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana. From 1983 to 1985, Stewart held the position of Special Assistant District Attorney and Assistant Shreveport City Prosecutor. During that same time, he practiced law at Stewart & Dixon (1983-1985). In 1985, Judge Stewart won election to a six year term as a District Judge for the First Judicial District Court, Division D, for the State of Louisiana. In 1991, he was elected to Louisiana's Second Circuit Court of Appeal. Judge Stewart was appointed to the federal bench in 1994.

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