CHALMETTE, La. (AP) - The wife of St. Bernard Parish President David Peralta failed to appear in a Chalmette courtroom for a divorce hearing after she faxed a letter to the judge, saying she feared for her life and needed more protection.
Sharon Schaefer Peralta also asked 34th Judicial District Judge Robert Buckley to recuse himself from the case due to perceived personal connections to David Peralta.
It was the latest development in a story that has seen the couple petition courts in two parishes for restraining orders against each other.
David Peralta has refused to comment. Buckley said in court that he has known David Peralta for years but they are not close friends. Nola.com reports (https://bit.ly/KQUwUk ) Buckley postponed Friday’s hearing until Feb. 7.
That would give Sharon Peralta time to file paperwork if she decides to formally pursue Buckley’s recusal.
Buckley said he attended the Peralta’s wedding, but that he also taught Sharon Peralta in a paralegal class at Chalmette’s Nunez Community College. In terms of the relationship affecting his impartiality, Buckley said, “I don’t see that in this case.”
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Information from: The Times-Picayune, https://www.nola.com
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