Calvin Duncan was sworn in as the Clerk of Orleans Parish Criminal Court on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, on the steps of the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court. He emerged victorious in the recent election against incumbent Darren Lombard, particularly in the runoff held on November 15, 2025. Duncan is set to officially assume office on May 4, unless Senate Bill 256, which seeks to eliminate the position altogether, is enacted by the Louisiana Legislature and signed by Republican Governor Jeff Landry.
Senate Bill 256, introduced by Senator John “Jay” Morris from Monroe, successfully passed in the Senate on April 8 and is now moving towards a vote in the House of Representatives. The proposed legislation aims to consolidate the civil and criminal court clerks’ offices in Orleans Parish, effectively abolishing the role of criminal clerk. If the bill passes as currently drafted, Chelsey Richard Napoleon, the Clerk of Civil District Court, would take over as the singular court clerk for Orleans Parish. Governor Landry has expressed intentions to sign the bill should it receive legislative approval.
During Duncan's swearing-in ceremony, which took place amidst the uncertainty of the bill's progression, he and his supporters celebrated this pivotal moment. Emily Faye Ratner, co-chair of Duncan's transition team, encouraged attendees to embrace the occasion, emphasizing the hard work Duncan and his supporters put in to reach this milestone.
Proponents of SB 256 argue that consolidating the clerk's offices will align Orleans Parish with practices in other parishes, reduce expenses, and enhance the efficiency of the court system. Conversely, Duncan and many of his backers see this legislation as a direct assault targeting him personally, viewing it as an attempt to disenfranchise the electorate of New Orleans.
Despite the cloud of uncertainty overhead, attendees at Duncan's swearing-in ceremony embraced a lively, upbeat atmosphere. The steps of the Criminal District Court were filled with supporters and public officials, including New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno and State Senator Royce Duplessis. As Duncan prepared to take his oath, rallying cries such as “no surrender, no retreat” resonated through the crowd, led by Cynthia Willard-Lewis, a former state legislator and New Orleans City Council member.
In her address, Willard-Lewis passionately celebrated the will of the people expressed during the election. She recognized Duncan as a “drum major for justice,” highlighting the significance of the day. Notably, a Bible belonging to Willard-Lewis’s father, a respected educator and former member of the Orleans Parish School Board, was loaned for the ceremony. The oath of office was administered by human rights attorney Bill Quigley.
Duncan’s remarkable journey to this position includes his past as a "jailhouse lawyer," where he overcame significant barriers to ultimately graduate from law school. After spending over three decades wrongfully imprisoned for a 1981 murder, he was exonerated in 2021. This personal struggle fuels his commitment to advocating for those needing access to their court records to challenge injustices within the system.
In his speech following the oath, Duncan articulated his motivations for seeking office, reaffirming a commitment to ensuring that future individuals do not endure injustices like his own. He expressed hope that regardless of legislative actions and the potential elimination of his position, the injustices faced in his past would lead to systemic changes in the court system.
This significant event underscores the ongoing tensions and transformative changes within the Orleans Parish legal landscape as lawmakers consider the future of the clerk's position.
