Louisiana judge in abuse case belatedly recuses himself after ruling in favor of church on whose finance panel he sits
Summary
A Louisiana judge, Kendrick J. Guidry, ruled in favor of a Catholic church in a case about old abuse claims but later revealed he was on the church’s finance committee. This financial connection meant he should have recused himself from the case sooner under state law. His delayed recusal raised concerns about fairness in the legal process amid ongoing abuse scandals involving Catholic dioceses in Louisiana.Key Facts
- Judge Kendrick J. Guidry ruled for a Catholic church trying to block old abuse claims in Louisiana.
- Guidry sits on the finance committee of the same church involved in the case, Immaculate Heart of Mary.
- Louisiana law requires judges to step aside (recuse) if they have financial ties to a case’s parties.
- Guidry disclosed church membership early in the trial but only recently admitted to serving on its finance committee.
- Experts say the law uses an objective standard, meaning any reasonable person would question a judge’s impartiality with such ties.
- Advocacy groups for abuse victims criticized Guidry for not revealing his financial connection sooner.
- The legal dispute centers on whether old abuse claims still allow lawsuits under a “lookback window” law.
- Louisiana’s highest court previously upheld the law, but Guidry’s ruling contradicted that decision on some points.
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