What does recusing mean?
Recusing means withdrawing from, or causing the withdrawal of, a participant in a legal proceeding because of a conflict of interest, personal involvement, or another circumstance that could undermine impartiality. A person recuses themselves when personal or professional connections make it inappropriate for them to remain involved; a court or other authority may also recuse a judge, lawyer, juror, or expert witness. The word is most often used in legal and judicial settings, though related forms such as “recusal” and “recused” are common in general reporting of court proceedings. Unlike “refuse,” which generally means to reject or decline, “recuse” focuses specifically on removing someone from a proceeding for reasons that call into question its fairness. The term is therefore associated with conflicts of interest, judicial impartiality, and the administration of justice.
To withdraw oneself from, or to remove someone else from, a legal proceeding because of a conflict of interest or other disqualifying circumstance.
"The governor recused herself from the investigation because a former business partner was among those being examined."
The reflexive construction “recuse oneself” is particularly common in legal and political reporting.
The act of withdrawing oneself or another person from a legal proceeding because of a conflict of interest or other disqualifying circumstance.
"His recusing from the case was widely praised as an appropriate response to the conflict of interest."
As a noun, “recusing” is less common than the related form “recusal,” but it is standard in legal and political contexts.
Recusing is the legal equivalent of stepping out of the picture so that no one can question the fairness of the view.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does recusing come from?
The word comes from Latin recusare, meaning “to refuse, reject,” or “to object to,” and developed in English in the legal sense of withdrawing from a case or disqualifying oneself. Its central idea is rejection on procedural or ethical grounds rather than ordinary refusal. The related noun “recusal” names the act of recusing, while “recusant” refers to someone who refuses to acknowledge an authority, especially in historical religious contexts.
How recusing is actually used
Recuse is primarily formal legal vocabulary. The reflexive phrase “recuse oneself” is especially common, while “recuse someone” is used especially in legal and judicial contexts.
Easily confused with recusing
Refuse means to decline or reject something, whereas recuse refers specifically to withdrawing from or being removed from a legal proceeding because of a conflict of interest or other disqualification.