BATON ROUGE, LA. — Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry on Thursday signed legislation abolishing the Orleans Parish clerk of criminal court position, days before exoneree Calvin Duncan was set to take office. The new law consolidates the civil and criminal court clerks' offices in Orleans Parish, with the civil clerk position remaining and absorbing the criminal clerk's role.

Duncan won the Orleans Parish criminal court clerk election in November, defeating the incumbent and earning more than two-thirds of the vote. He had been set to take office on the Monday following the legislation's passage. Duncan asked a federal judge to allow him to take office as scheduled.

Duncan spent nearly 30 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit. His murder conviction was vacated in 2021 after evidence emerged that police officers had lied in court, and his name is listed on the National Registry of Exonerations.

Republicans described the measure as a consolidation effort meant to make the local judicial system more efficient and cut costs. Landry described the law as addressing a system in Orleans Parish that had been plagued by dysfunction and corruption for years.

According to the office of the legislative auditor, eliminating the criminal court clerk position saves the state about $27,000 and the city about $233,000, though the long-term costs of the consolidation are unknown. The legislation shifts about $1.17 million in state expenditures to Orleans Parish. The civil and criminal court clerks have separate physical offices and different case management systems.

State Sen. Jay Morris, who represents a district several hours away from New Orleans, said the goal was to implement the consolidation before Duncan takes office to prevent him from starting a four-year term. Morris said he believes the legislation is constitutional but acknowledged he expects lawsuits to be filed. "It's unfortunate for Mr. Duncan, I concede that. He seems very nice, but we don't make policy around here for just one person," he said.

Orleans Parish is a Democratic hub with a predominantly Black electorate. "Mr. Duncan was elected by 68% of the vote in a city that's majority African American. This is the will of the people, and what your bill attempts to do is usurp the will of the people," state Rep. Edmond Jordan said.

The consolidation is part of a broader Republican effort during the ongoing legislative session to overhaul the judiciary in New Orleans, including bills that propose abolishing several other elected judicial positions in Orleans Parish. Those other positions would be eliminated at a later date, allowing current officeholders to complete their terms. Hundreds of people gathered on the steps of the Orleans Parish criminal courthouse for a ceremonial swearing-in for Duncan.