Yellowstone: What does recused mean, and how does it affect Jamie?

In Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 11, ‘Three Fifty-Three’, Jamie Dutton gets recused, meaning everything he’s been working for is suddenly on the line. (Warning: major spoilers ahead!)

So far, Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2 has been a mash-up of cowboys and government antics, with Jamie Dutton right in the middle of it all. After his lover Sarah Atwood was revealed to be responsible for John Dutton’s murder, Jamie’s been left floundering, trying to survive.

But in Episode 11, things are turned upside-down when Jamie tries to cozy up to the new governor taking John Dutton’s place. The adopted Dutton gets “recused”, but what does this mean exactly?

Here’s a breakdown of what it all means, and how it affects Jamie Dutton going forward.

What does “recused” mean in Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 11?

If someone is “recused” from a legal case, it means they’re being removed due to a personal conflict of interest – which means Jamie can’t be involved in any legal cases relating to John Dutton or the ranch.

In Yellowstone, Jamie is District Attorney for Montana. We’ve previously seen him act on behalf of the ranch in legal capacity and get involved in their affairs, but in Yellowstone Season 5 Episode 11, things get shaken up.

Paramount

The new acting governor puts forward a motion for Jamie to “recuse himself from the matter of condemnation and any investigation into John Dutton’s death.”

This comes after it was announced that John Dutton’s cause of death was actually “undetermined”, meaning an investigation was still open, rather than being ruled a suicide.

Earlier in the episode, Jamie also convinced the governor to take eminent domain over the Dutton Ranch (meaning the government has control over the property). So, there’s an ongoing murder investigation surrounding John’s death, plus legal proceedings regarding the ranch.

If Jamie is recused, it means that he cannot be involved in either case, because it would be a conflict of interest since he is part of the Dutton family and has personal connections to those involved.

What it means for Jamie Dutton

If Jamie is recused, it means he will be an observer in John Dutton’s death investigation, and it also means he won’t be able to make legal decisions regarding the ranch’s future – two matters he was deeply concerned with.

John Dutton’s death wouldn’t be an issue for Jamie at all… if his girlfriend hadn’t been behind it all. Sarah Atwood, who worked for Market Equities, hired the hit on John. Jamie soon found out, and it’s since been eating him up inside.

It was previously written off as a suicide, but now that there’s a full blown investigation, Jamie is in the direct line of fire. Sarah later points out to him that he actually had no part in organizing the hit, but we all know he could still be connected to her.

Paramount

As for the ranch’s future, Jamie was written out of the will a long time ago. So, he has no direct financial benefit from selling the ranch. However, his goal has been to finalize the airport plans for Market Equities, which would put millions in profit back into Montana’s pocket.

If he’s not allowed to be part of the deal between the ranch, the government, and Market Equities, then it essentially means he’s been squeezed out of his own plan.

However, there is one silver lining. In the newest Yellowstone episode, Sarah points out that nobody can actually recuse Jamie aside from himself and a judge. So, the idea has been proposed, but it would take an actual ruling from a judge or Jamie to make it come to pass.

To keep up to date with the latest, find out where to watch the new season of Yellowstone. You can also find out when the new Yellowstone episode is out, and see why Kevin Costner isn’t in the show anymore.