NEW ORLEANS — Louisiana Senate Republicans voted on April 8, 2026, to eliminate the Orleans Parish clerk of criminal court position, a move that would prevent Calvin Duncan — who won the office with 68% of the vote last November — from being sworn in on his scheduled May 4 start date. The bill, authored by Republican State Senator Jay Morris, who represents a district in north Louisiana, is on track to be passed by the GOP-controlled Louisiana House and approved by Governor Jeff Landry, at which point it would immediately go into effect.

Morris told lawmakers that the goal was to pass the law in time to prevent Duncan from taking office before the start of his four-year term. Other elected judicial officials in New Orleans whose offices may be eliminated in the future would be allowed to serve out their terms, but Duncan would not. When asked what Orleans Parish should do to fill the gap, Morris said, "Hire someone."

Landry said eliminating the position would improve government efficiency and clean up the court system in Orleans Parish. The offices of criminal clerk of court and civil clerk of court are combined in other Louisiana parishes. According to the office of the legislative auditor, terminating the criminal clerk position would save the state an estimated $27,300, though the costs of combining the two clerks' offices were unknown.

Duncan told the Associated Press that he believes Louisiana officials who long denied his innocence are retaliating against him, despite his name being listed on the National Registry of Exonerations. "What this bill does, it says: 'Thank you but you wasted your time.' It disenfranchises everybody," he said.

Duncan was imprisoned for nearly 30 years before being exonerated. In 2011, on the eve of a hearing to consider new evidence, he accepted a plea deal by pleading guilty to manslaughter and armed robbery in exchange for time served, leading to his release from prison. In 2021, a judge vacated his sentence after finding that he had been unjustly convicted. He ran for clerk on a platform to reform the justice system based on his experience fighting to access court records while in maximum security prison.

As state attorney general in 2023, Landry opposed Duncan's petition for compensation for his wrongful conviction. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill subsequently threatened to pursue Duncan's law license, prompting him to withdraw the petition. During his campaign for clerk, Murrill threatened to take further action against Duncan if he did not stop calling himself exonerated. Both Landry and Murrill pointed to Duncan's acceptance of the 2011 plea deal in their opposition to his exoneration status. Murrill said she had no involvement in the move to eliminate the Orleans Parish clerk of criminal court office.

New Orleans has a predominantly Black electorate and typically elects Democratic candidates. The Louisiana state Legislature is largely controlled by Republicans, and its membership is predominantly white.