Louisiana Supreme Court upholds state law blocking Orleans clerk from taking office

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 two cases, justices upheld Act 15 to allow the consolidation of New Orleans’ criminal and civil clerks of court offices to move forward. The legislation took away the criminal clerk’s role just days before Calvin Duncan was set to take office May 4. The civil clerk, Chelsea Richard Napoleon, was put in charge of both agencies under the law.

City leaders resisted the change, arguing the law created a new position that required an election be held to fill it. Rather than allow Napoleon to assume the criminal clerk’s duties, the New Orleans City Council appointed retired Judge Calvin Johnson to lead the office on an interim basis.

Napoleon sued city officials to thwart Johnson’s appointment, and the justices ruled in her favor Monday.




https://lailluminator.com/2026/06/01/orleans-clerk-6/