Judge Denies Recusal Bid in Baton Rouge Corruption Cases
Ad Hoc Judge Bonnie Jackson rejected Attorney General Liz Murrill's request to remove Judge Gail Horne Ray from cases tied to a voting rights dispute.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Criminal Justice
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Ad Hoc Judge Bonnie Jackson denied Attorney General Liz Murrill's request to recuse Judge Gail Horne Ray on Wednesday, November 4, 2026. The motion concerned corruption cases against Councilman Cleve Dunn, Pearlina Thomas and contractor Jay Colar, and the Attorney General's office intends to seek writs.
Why it matters
The ruling keeps Judge Ray on cases in the 19th Judicial District Court while a related challenge to the district's judicial map remains active in federal court. The dispute ties criminal proceedings to a broader fight over how judges are elected in Baton Rouge.
Judge Bonnie Jackson denied the recusal motion filed in September, and the Attorney General's office has signaled it will seek appellate writs. The corruption cases against Councilman Cleve Dunn, Pearlina Thomas and Jay Colar remain pending before Judge Ray.
The players
Liz Murrill
Louisiana's Attorney General, whose office sought Judge Ray's recusal and intends to pursue appellate writs.
Gail Horne Ray
A judge of the 19th Judicial District Court in Baton Rouge whose recusal was sought in the corruption cases.
Bonnie Jackson
The ad hoc judge who presided over the recusal motion and denied it on November 4, 2026.
The details
The motion argued Judge Ray should step aside because her attorney, Steven Irving, publicly linked her to a voting rights lawsuit, which Irving has said does not name her as a party. The recusal request came as plaintiffs asked a federal court to reopen the Clark case and block Act 243, which eliminated the district's three-subdistrict map in 2025.
Timeline
2025: Louisiana Legislature passed Act 243, eliminating the three-subdistrict map for the 19th JDC.
February: Three judges filed a separate declaratory judgment suit.
September: The recusal motion against Judge Gail Horne Ray was filed.
October: Attorney Steven Irving discussed the voting rights lawsuit with WAFB.
November 4, 2026: Judge Jackson denied the recusal motion in court.
Legal Context
The recusal dispute grows out of Act 243, the 2025 Louisiana law that replaced the 19th JDC's three-subdistrict map with two subdistricts and an at-large seat. Under the earlier map, nine of the district's 15 judges were Black, and the new structure is now at the center of a federal challenge.
Defendants and residents with cases before the 19th Judicial District Court may see their judge assignments and pending motions affected by the appellate writs. The outcome of the federal map challenge will determine how future judges in Baton Rouge are chosen.
The takeaway
Court disputes over judicial recusal can delay criminal cases for months, so residents following these matters should watch for the appellate writ filings and any federal ruling on Act 243. Checking court dockets directly provides the most reliable updates on case status.
Further reading
For related court coverage, see more Criminal Justice reporting from Baton Rouge.
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