An ad hoc judge appointed to try a motion to recuse a judge, or appointed to try the cause, may be recused on the grounds and in the manner provided in this Chapter for the recusal of judges.
Art. 159.Recusal of Ad Hoc Judge
Title I. Courts · Chapter 3. Recusal of Judges · Amendment history unavailable · Last verified July 30, 2026
In one sentenceArticle 159 provides that an ad hoc judge appointed to hear a recusal motion, or appointed to try the underlying case, can be recused on the same grounds and through the same procedure this chapter provides for any other judge.
Full Text of Art. 159
Plain-English Summary
The recusal chapter's ad hoc judges don't stand outside its own rules. Article 159 closes that loop directly: an ad hoc judge — whether appointed to try a motion to recuse someone else, or appointed to take over the underlying case after a recusal — can be recused like any other judge, on the same grounds and through the same procedure the rest of this chapter sets out.
This keeps the system consistent from top to bottom. A litigant doesn't lose the right to challenge a judge's impartiality because that judge arrived through the ad hoc appointment process rather than through an ordinary election or assignment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an ad hoc judge be recused too?
Yes. Article 159 makes an ad hoc judge, whether appointed to hear a recusal motion or to try the underlying case, subject to recusal on the same grounds and procedure as any other judge.
What grounds apply to recusing an ad hoc judge?
The same grounds set out in Article 151 and the same procedures this chapter provides for recusing any other judge apply to an ad hoc judge as well.
If the ad hoc judge assigned to hear the underlying case has a conflict, is there a remedy?
Yes. A party can move to recuse that ad hoc judge under the same procedure used for any other judge, since Article 159 doesn't exempt ad hoc judges from the chapter's recusal rules.
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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