Federal Judge Recuses Himself in New Orleans Catholic Sex Abuse Case Due to Ties to Archdiocese

A federal judge overseeing the New Orleans Roman Catholic bankruptcy recused himself after it was revealed that he donated tens of thousands of dollars to the archdiocese and consistently ruled in favor of the church in the case involving nearly 500 clergy sex abuse victims.
The judge initially refused to step down but changed course amid mounting pressure and questions about his impartiality.
His recusal is likely to disrupt the case and prompt the re-examination of his previous rulings.
The judge's close ties to the archdiocese highlight how influential the Catholic Church remains in New Orleans.
Legal experts said the judge had no choice but to recuse himself to avoid the appearance of bias.