Louisiana GOP Moves to Eliminate Office of Exonerated New Orleans Clerk

Calvin Duncan, who spent nearly 30 years wrongfully imprisoned, won the clerk's office in a landslide, but now faces a political battle to keep his job.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 4:07am

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A dynamic, abstract painting featuring fractured, overlapping shapes and lines in shades of blue, green, and orange, conceptually representing the legal and political conflict surrounding the Orleans Parish clerk's office.The battle over the Orleans Parish clerk's office exposes the ongoing tensions between reform efforts and entrenched political power.New Orleans Today

A legal and political battle is unfolding in New Orleans as Louisiana state officials, led by Republican Governor Jeff Landry and the GOP-controlled legislature, move to eliminate the office of the Orleans Parish clerk of criminal court. The position was recently won in a landmark election by Calvin Duncan, a man who spent nearly three decades imprisoned for a crime he did not commit.

Why it matters

Duncan's victory was seen as a significant moment for judicial reform in New Orleans, as he campaigned on reforming the very system that wrongfully imprisoned him for decades. The effort to eliminate his new role is viewed by many as a direct act of retaliation against Duncan and the voters who overwhelmingly supported him.

The details

Calvin Duncan secured the clerk's office in November 2025, winning 68% of the vote. His campaign focused on reforming the judicial system, a goal rooted in his own experience fighting for access to court records while incarcerated. After serving more than 28 years in prison, Duncan was exonerated in 2021 and is listed on the National Registry of Exonerations. The current conflict escalated when Louisiana Senate Republicans voted to eliminate Duncan's new role as part of a larger legislative push to overhaul the New Orleans court system.

  • In November 2025, Calvin Duncan won the Orleans Parish clerk of criminal court election with 68% of the vote.
  • On May 4, 2026, Duncan was scheduled to be sworn into office.
  • On April 9, 2026, the Louisiana Senate voted to eliminate Duncan's new role.

The players

Calvin Duncan

A man who spent nearly three decades imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, before being exonerated in 2021. He recently won the Orleans Parish clerk of criminal court election in a landslide.

Jeff Landry

The Republican Governor of Louisiana, who is leading the effort to eliminate the Orleans Parish clerk of criminal court position that Duncan recently won.

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What they’re saying

“The citizens of New Orleans overwhelmingly said: 'I want to give this person a chance, he can make a difference,' What this bill does, it says: 'Thank you but you wasted your time.' It disenfranchises everybody.”

— Calvin Duncan, Orleans Parish Clerk of Criminal Court

“We need to clean up a system in Orleans Parish that has been plagued by dysfunction and corruption for years.”

— Jeff Landry, Governor of Louisiana

What’s next

The legal and political battle over the elimination of the Orleans Parish clerk of criminal court position is expected to continue, with Duncan vowing to fight the efforts to remove him from office.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tensions between reform-minded local officials and entrenched political powers at the state level, as well as the challenges faced by those seeking to address systemic issues within the criminal justice system.