Court order pauses council action and requires due process hearing before any move to suspend Mayor Paulette Guajardo
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order on Monday stopping the City of Corpus Christi from taking immediate action to suspend Mayor Paulette Guajardo ahead of a scheduled council vote, according to a court order from the Southern District of Texas.
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Federal Judge George Hanks Jr. order pauses any vote or enforcement action tied to the mayor’s suspension until further court proceedings are held.
A City Council meeting is still scheduled for Tuesday at 11:30 a.m., where an agenda item includes discussion and possible action on the mayor’s potential removal.
However, the judge ruled the city must first provide a constitutionally sufficient hearing before any suspension can move forward, citing due process protections under the Fourteenth Amendment.
The court’s decision keeps the current situation in place while the case moves forward. The city is required to file a response by Tuesday at noon, with a hearing set for Wednesday morning on a request for a longer-term injunction.
The temporary restraining order remains in effect until April 27 unless extended by the court.