A. A party desiring to recuse a justice of the supreme court shall file a written motion therefor assigning the ground for recusal under Article 151. When a written motion is filed to recuse a justice of the supreme court, the justice may recuse himself or refer the motion to be heard by the other justices of the court. B. When a justice of the supreme court recuses himself or is recused by a majority of the other justices, the court may do one of the following:
Art. 157.Recusal of Supreme Court Justice
Title I. Courts · Chapter 3. Recusal of Judges · Last amended 2026 · Last verified July 30, 2026
In one sentenceArticle 157 governs recusal of a Louisiana Supreme Court justice — a written motion stating a ground under Article 151, the justice's choice to recuse or refer the motion to the other justices, and either continuing with the remaining justices or appointing a qualified justice ad hoc.
Full Text of Art. 157
(1) Have the cause argued before and disposed of by the other justices.
(2) Appoint a retired justice of the supreme court or a sitting or retired judge of a district court or a court of appeal having the qualifications of a justice of the supreme court, other than age, as a justice ad hoc to act for the recused justice in the hearing and disposition of the cause. C. A referred recusal motion shall be denied unless a majority of the other justices serving in the case when the motion is filed find sufficient grounds for recusal under Article 151.
Amendment History
Amended by Acts 2026, No. 276, §3, eff. 5/22/2026. Renumbered from La. C.P. §159 and amended by Acts 2021, No. 143, §1, eff. 8/1/2021.
Plain-English Summary
The state's highest court needs its own recusal procedure, since there's no higher court to send the problem to and, on some panels, few remaining justices to fill in. Article 157 starts the same way as the district court procedure: a party files a written motion stating a ground for recusal under Article 151. The justice named in the motion can recuse voluntarily or refer the motion to be heard by the other justices of the court.
If the justice recuses, or is recused by a majority of the other justices, the court has two options. It can proceed with the remaining justices deciding the case, or it can appoint a justice ad hoc — a retired supreme court justice, or a sitting or retired judge of a district court or court of appeal who otherwise meets the qualifications for the supreme court — to sit in the recused justice's place.
A referred motion doesn't succeed by default. Paragraph C requires a majority of the other justices serving in the case at the time the motion is filed to find sufficient grounds under Article 151 before the motion is granted.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a motion to recuse a Louisiana Supreme Court justice decided?
The justice named in the motion may recuse voluntarily, or the motion is referred to the other justices of the court, who decide it by majority vote under Article 157.
Who replaces a recused supreme court justice?
The court can either proceed with its remaining justices or appoint a justice ad hoc — a retired supreme court justice, or a sitting or retired district or appellate judge who meets the supreme court's qualifications apart from age.
Does a recusal motion against a justice succeed automatically if referred to the other justices?
No. A majority of the other justices serving on the case when the motion is filed must find sufficient grounds under Article 151, or the motion is denied.
Can a retired judge fill in for a recused justice?
Yes, as long as that person has the qualifications of a supreme court justice other than age, whether as a retired justice or a sitting or retired judge of a district court or court of appeal.
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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