Types of Recusal

Standard Recusal

You have a conflict of interest, a prior commitment that was not disclosed, or a relationship with a party that makes your continued involvement inappropriate. This is the classic form. Courts use it. Boards use it. You can use it.

Preemptive Recusal

You are being invited into something and you already know you should not be involved. Preemptive recusal allows you to formally decline involvement before it begins. The notice is delivered at the time of the invitation. This prevents 'but you were there' arguments later.

Organizational Recusal

Removal from a committee, board, working group, task force, or advisory body. Includes volunteer boards, neighborhood associations, school committees, and any other body you joined with good intentions and cannot leave informally without drama.

Social Recusal

Formal withdrawal from ongoing social obligations: recurring dinners, book clubs, group chats, family traditions that have become obligations, and friend-group responsibilities that are no longer reciprocal. The notice is calibrated to the relationship.

Retroactive Recusal

For situations where you were involved but, in retrospect, should not have been. The retroactive recusal formally documents that your involvement was inappropriate from the start and that you are withdrawing from any ongoing obligations related to that involvement. Retroactive recusal does not change what happened. It changes your relationship to what happens next.

Emergency Recusal

24-hour service. For situations that have developed rapidly and require immediate formal withdrawal. Available at premium rate. We have processed emergency recusals from active board meetings, family holidays, and one situation we are contractually prohibited from describing.