Louisiana Supreme Court says state law abolishing clerk of criminal court’s office was legal
The 4-3 ruling says Act 15 was constitutional and bars an interim clerk or special election after Calvin Duncan won 68% of the vote.
- On Monday, the Louisiana Supreme Court upheld Act 15 in a 4-3 ruling, merging New Orleans' criminal and civil clerk offices and permanently eliminating the criminal clerk post that Calvin Duncan won last year with about 68% of the vote.
- Lawmakers passed Act 15 last year, merging the offices just before Duncan, a former life prisoner who spent 28 years at Angola, could assume his elected role; the court noted this consolidation had been debated for 50 years.
- The Court blocked the New Orleans City Council from proceeding with a special election or retaining retired Judge Calvin Johnson as interim clerk, ruling that no vacancy exists in the consolidated office.
- Mayor Helena Moreno and City Council President JP Morrell expressed disappointment, arguing the decision undermines voter rights, while Attorney General Liz Murrill praised the ruling, stating the Legislature held clear constitutional authority to consolidate the offices.
- In a blistering dissent, Associate Justice John Guidry argued the majority opinion 'amounts to nothing less than condoning a brazen and unconstitutional political coup that subverted the will of the majority of the electorate of Orleans Parish.' The ruling provides finality on the clerk's office status.
22 Articles
22 Articles
Louisiana Supreme Court Rejects Calvin Duncan’s Appeal
Source: Calvin Duncan / other Louisiana simply doesn’t like Black people. That’s the only conclusion I can come to after how they’ve been moving the last several months. It’s bad enough that a group of Louisiana voters successfully convinced the Supreme Court to gut the Voting Rights Act and pave the way for a new era of racial gerrymandering. On the state level, Louisiana Republicans have continually shown their disdain for Black voters by rush…
Louisiana Illuminator
KTBSLouisiana Supreme Court upholds state law blocking Orleans clerk from taking office
Calvin Duncan is sworn in as Clerk of Criminal Court at Orleans Parish Criminal District Court on April 21, 2026. (Photo by Christiana Botic/Verite News and Catchlight Local/Report for America)The Louisiana Supreme Court ruled Monday in support of a new state law that eliminates one of Orleans Parish’s two clerk of court positions, blocking the wrongfully convicted man who was elected to the post from taking office. In a 4-3 decision covering tw…
Associated Press News
Louisiana Supreme Court rules against exoneree whose office was abolished
The Louisiana Supreme Court has rejected a New Orleans exoneree’s bid to assume an elected office he won with a majority of the vote.
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