Opinion ID: 1698391
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: whether a judge can legally sign a judgment in a case from which he has previously recused himself from by a signed order?

Text: After the August 27, 1987 judgment, Judge George Warner signed an Order dated January 4, 1989, recusing himself as judge in Adams v. Rains. On February 1, 1991, Judge Warner signed an Amended Judgment for Support and Other Relief under the Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act. Rains contends that Judge Warner only performed a ministerial act in clarifying his earlier ruling and that the order was agreed to and signed by counsel for both parties. Rains alleges that the February 1, 1991, order signed by Judge Warner amending the August 27, 1987, judgment was merely a nunc pro tunc order. It appears that a lack of diligence by the participants in the February 1, 1991, amended judgment resulted in Judge Warner signing an order in a case from which he had recused himself. The court file contained the recusal order. Judge Warner was without authority to sign this amended judgment, as there was no subsequent order removing the recusal in this matter. See Herring v. Herring, 571 So.2d 239, 243 (Miss. 1990).