BATON ROUGE, La. — A pivotal election in Louisiana’s new majority-Black state Supreme Court district may be all but decided, following the disqualification of two out of three candidates by the court itself. This ruling significantly narrows the competition ahead of the Nov. 5 election, leaving 1st Circuit Court of Appeal Judge John Michael Guidry as the only candidate.
This decision marks an important milestone as Guidry is poised to become the second sitting Black justice and the second Democrat on the seven-member state Supreme Court. In nearly 120 years, Louisiana has seen only three Black justices serve on its highest court, all originating from majority-Black districts in the New Orleans area. However, this year, the Legislature established a second majority-minority district based in Baton Rouge, extending its reach along the Mississippi River and encompassing 13 parishes in the northeast section of the state.
The candidates removed from the ballot, Marcus Hunter, a judge on the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeal, and Leslie Chambers, chief of staff for the Louisiana Housing Corporation, were ruled disqualified due to inadequate proof of timely tax returns, as determined by the high court’s 5-2 decision.
Chief Justice John L. Weimer expressed disappointment in the lack of candidates, stating, “While I would much prefer seeing multiple candidates participate in the electoral process to facilitate the voters have a choice in deciding who should serve them, I cannot ignore the clear facts or the applicable law which is equally clear.”
Justice Jefferson D. Hughes III was among those dissenting, arguing that there is a significant difference between candidates who have intentionally withheld information versus those who believed they had fulfilled their tax obligations.
Both Hunter and Chambers testified that they believed their taxes were filed. Louisiana law mandates that Supreme Court candidates file state and federal taxes for the five years leading up to elections for qualification. Chambers claimed to have filed her 2022 taxes electronically and was expecting a refund, but the Louisiana Department of Revenue stated it never received her filing. Hunter’s accountant also expressed confidence that his taxes were correctly filed prior to his qualification.
With limited legal options remaining, Hunter and Chambers face an uphill battle should they choose to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, particularly given the looming early voting period. The Louisiana Secretary of State has announced that ballot programming will commence soon.
Chambers has stated her intention to consult with legal counsel regarding the potential impact of the court’s decision, while Hunter’s campaign has not yet issued a response.
The establishment of this redrawn district followed legislative action to create an additional predominantly Black district, amending the boundaries for the Supreme Court’s seven districts for the first time in 27 years. Regardless of whether all three candidates appeared on the ballot or if Guidry remains the sole candidate, Louisiana is set to gain another Black, registered Democrat on its Supreme Court.
Currently, Piper D. Griffin holds the position as the only Black justice, with her term concluding in 2030. Legal challenges against Hunter and Chambers emerged last month, centered on allegations of not meeting qualification requirements, eventually leading to the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Guidry, who has been an appellate court judge for 26 years and previously ran for the state Supreme Court in 2012, made history as the first Black chief judge to preside over the 1st Circuit.
