All Orleans Criminal Court Judges Recuse Themselves from Attorney General Liz Murrill Case

Every judge serving on the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court has recused themselves from the criminal case against Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, creating another extraordinary development in one of the state’s highest-profile legal battles.

The recusals were formally transmitted to the Louisiana Supreme Court by Orleans Criminal District Court Chief Judge Juana Lombard. In the letter, the judges asked the high court to appoint an outside judge to preside over the case on a temporary basis should the prosecution move forward. Separately, the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office confirmed that District Attorney Jason Williams and his office have also recused themselves from the grand jury proceedings related to the matter.

Attorney General Murrill was indicted last week on 16 felony counts, including malfeasance in office and intimidation, stemming from letters she sent to New Orleans officials regarding the implementation of a state law restructuring the city’s court system. Murrill has denied any wrongdoing, calling the charges politically motivated, while the Louisiana Supreme Court has already stayed the criminal proceedings as it considers challenges to the indictment and the process that produced it.

With every Orleans criminal court judge now stepping aside, the Louisiana Supreme Court is expected to designate an ad hoc judge from outside the parish to oversee any future proceedings. The decision adds another unprecedented chapter to a case that has become one of the most closely watched legal and political disputes in Louisiana.