A. A judge of any trial or appellate court shall be recused upon any of the following grounds:
Art. 151.Grounds
Title I. Courts · Chapter 3. Recusal of Judges · Last amended 2021 · Last verified July 30, 2026
In one sentenceArticle 151 sets out the mandatory grounds for recusing a trial or appellate judge — being a witness, prior involvement as counsel, family ties to a party or attorney, bias or interest in the outcome, or any substantial and objective basis undermining impartiality — while excluding mere citizenship, taxpayer status, or religious membership as grounds.
Full Text of Art. 151
(1) The judge is a witness in the cause.
(2) The judge has been employed or consulted as an attorney in the cause or has previously been associated with an attorney during the latter's employment in the cause, and the judge participated in representation in the cause.
(3) The judge is the spouse of a party, or of an attorney employed in the cause or the judge's parent, child, or immediate family member is a party or attorney employed in the cause.
(4) The judge is biased, prejudiced, or interested in the cause or its outcome or biased or prejudiced toward or against the parties or the parties' attorneys or any witness to such an extent that the judge would be unable to conduct fair and impartial proceedings.
B. A judge of any trial or appellate court shall also be recused when there exists a substantial and objective basis that would reasonably be expected to prevent the judge from conducting any aspect of the cause in a fair and impartial manner.
C. In any cause in which the state or a political subdivision thereof is interested, the fact that the judge is a citizen of the state or a resident of the political subdivision, or pays taxes thereto, is not a ground for recusal. In any cause in which a religious body or religious corporation is interested, the fact that the judge is a member of the religious body or religious corporation is not alone a ground for recusal.
Amendment History
Amended by Acts 2021, No. 143, §1, eff. 8/1/2021. Acts 1983, No. 106, §1; Acts 1987, No. 579, §1; Acts 1988, No. 515, §2, eff. 1/1/1989; Acts 2008, No. 663, §1.
Plain-English Summary
Article 151 lays out when a Louisiana judge must step aside from a case. Paragraph A lists four specific grounds: the judge is a witness in the case, the judge previously worked as or with an attorney who represented a side in the case, the judge is closely related to a party or to an attorney involved, or the judge is biased, prejudiced, or personally interested in how the case comes out.
Paragraph B adds a broader standard on top of that list: a judge must also step aside whenever a substantial and objective basis exists that would reasonably be expected to keep the judge from handling any part of the case with impartiality. This catch-all, added in 2021, gives litigants a route to recusal even when the facts don't fit neatly into one of the four specific grounds, as long as the basis for doubting impartiality is concrete rather than speculative.
Paragraph C narrows the grounds in the other direction. When the government is a party, a judge's status as a citizen, resident, or taxpayer isn't by itself a reason to recuse. When a religious body is a party, a judge's membership in it isn't by itself a reason either. Louisiana courts have read ‘interest in the cause’ to mean something concrete — the judge stands to gain or lose personally depending on the outcome — not a general connection to the subject matter of the case.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the grounds for recusing a Louisiana judge?
Article 151 lists four specific grounds — being a witness, prior involvement as an attorney in the case, close family ties to a party or attorney, or bias, prejudice, or personal interest in the outcome — plus a broader catch-all for any substantial and objective basis that would keep the judge from being fair and impartial.
Is a judge automatically disqualified from a case against the government solely because the judge is a resident or taxpayer of the state?
No. Paragraph C specifically excludes mere citizenship, residency, or taxpayer status as a ground for recusal in cases involving the state or a political subdivision.
What does it take to show a judge has an ‘interest’ in a case?
Courts have looked for something concrete — facts showing the judge stands to gain or lose some personal advantage depending on how the case comes out — rather than a passing or general connection to the subject matter.
Does asking about settlement negotiations show a judge is biased?
Not by itself. Judges routinely inquire about settlement status as part of managing a case, and that alone doesn't establish the kind of bias or partiality Article 151 requires for recusal.
Source & verification. Article text is reproduced verbatim from
the vLex (Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure, 2026 Edition). Enacted by the Louisiana Legislature.
Last verified July 30, 2026.
· Official source
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