This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

NEW ORLEANS — Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman could be re-elected to a fourth term without opposition after a court ruling Monday.

A district court judge ruled that Fredrick “Freddy” Brooks, 35, a former sheriff’s deputy who worked for Gusman’s office from 2007 to 2014, is not qualified to run because the Louisiana Department of Revenue says Brooks has not filed state income taxes in a few years. He certified on his notice of candidacy that he had filed the returns.

If Brooks does not appeal, or if he appeals and the judge does not overturn the ruling, then Gusman will be unopposed and be re-elected to a fourth term. He was first elected in 2004.

Last year, Gusman was forced to choose an independent compliance director to oversee the troubled Orleans Parish Prison and to help the sheriff’s office comply with a federal consent decree.