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recuse

[ ri-kyooz ]

verb (used with object)

, re·cused, re·cus·ing.
  1. to reject or challenge (a judge, juror, or attorney) as disqualified to act in a particular case, especially because of potential conflict of interest or bias.
  2. to disqualify or withdraw (oneself or another person) from any position of judging or decision-making so as to avoid the appearance of personal interest or bias:

    The senator has recused himself from the vote because of his prior association with the company.



verb (used without object)

, re·cused, re·cus·ing.
  1. to withdraw from any position of judging or decision-making so as to avoid a semblance of personal interest or bias.

recuse

/ rɪˈkjuːz; rəˈkjuːz /

verb

  1. tr; reflexive to remove from participation in a court case due to potential prejudice or partiality
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


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Other Words From

  • re·cu·sal noun
  • rec·u·sa·tion [rek-y, oo, -, zey, -sh, uh, n], noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of recuse1

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English recusen, from Middle French recuser, and from Latin recūsāre “to demur, object”; recusant
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Word History and Origins

Origin of recuse1

C19: see recusant
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Example Sentences

Not only has the Miami native green-lit the suppression of roughly 85,000 votes in the Sunshine State, but critics also say she should have recused herself from the case altogether due to her past work as a judge.

According to the Washington Post, last year when Lagoa was confirmed to the federal bench, she promised to recuse herself from any case where her impartiality could be called into question.

Generally, though, she said, Council members and their staffs must recuse themselves from any decision involving a prospective employer, to ensure their motives are genuine and they’re working to advance the city’s interests alone.

The law requires city officials to recuse themselves the moment they connect with an employer about a potential opportunity.

The report observed that a board member could “insist on participating” in a case, even when the ethics officer has determined that the member should be recused.

Doing so makes it unnecessary for judges to decide themselves whether to recuse.

Through letters to the involved parties, she admitted to failing to recuse herself in all five of the cases.

The judge said the royalty payment did not require him to recuse himself, according to 10th Circuit Clerk of Court Betsy Shumaker.

The decision on whether to recuse is ultimately up to the judge.

Cuccinelli has been called on to recuse himself and his office from the case.

Or he may recuse the judge, which should be referred to the Suprema and not to arbiters, who cause much delay.

Boccaccio must have been a clever fellow to write both argument and story; I am not, et je me recuse.

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More About Recuse

What does recuse mean?

Recuse most commonly means to withdraw from being in the position of judging a case or presiding over an investigation so as to avoid any partiality or bias.

This sense of the word is used reflexively, meaning it’s always followed by a reflexive pronoun, as in recuse yourself, recuse himself, recuse themselves.

Less commonly, recuse can mean to reject or challenge a judge or juror due to the belief that they are biased.

In both senses, recusing is typically done to avoid a conflict of interest—a situation in which the person doing the voting, judging, or investigating has some personal connection to the case that could influence their decision.

People who recuse themselves aren’t resigning—they’re officially excusing themselves from participating.

Example: When I was called for jury duty, I knew the man who was on trial so I had to recuse myself.

Where does recuse come from?

The first records of the word recuse come from around the late 1300s. It ultimately derives from the Latin verb recūsāre, meaning “to object or demur.”

It’s hard to be objective. It’s even harder when you have a personal connection to whatever is being decided. That’s why people are expected to recuse themselves in such cases. It’s possible to recuse yourself in everyday situations, such as refusing to take sides in an argument between two friends. But the term is most commonly used in situations that are formal, official, and serious, such as trials and investigations. The act of recusing is typically done by judges, jurors, and government officials. Most often, it’s because the person has a personal connection to the case or has had some experience that makes them impartial.

Less commonly, the word refers not to the act of recusing oneself but to the act of recusing someone else, such as in the case of a judge who recuses a juror thought to be biased against the defendant.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms of recuse?

What are some synonyms for recuse?

What are some words that share a root or word element with recuse

 

What are some words that often get used in discussing recuse?

 

How is recuse used in real life?

Recuse is most commonly used in a legal context. It’s closely associated with the phrase conflict of interest. 

 

 

Try using recuse!

True or False? 

Recusing is the same as resigning.

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