Federal judge delays hearing in Mayor Guajardo removal case

The hearing, originally set for Wednesday, will now take place Monday, May 18, in Houston, according to Guajardo’s attorney.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A federal court hearing tied to the ongoing effort to remove Corpus Christi Mayor Paulette Guajardo from office has been rescheduled for next week.

The hearing, originally set for Wednesday, will now take place Monday, May 18, in Houston, according to Guajardo’s attorney.

Attorney John Flood told 3NEWS that U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. made the decision late Monday afternoon.

The case centers on the city’s controversial removal proceedings against Guajardo, which are currently tied up in federal court over questions involving due process and the city charter.

The legal dispute follows actions by several Corpus Christi City Council members to advance a petition seeking the mayor’s removal from office. Guajardo later filed a lawsuit challenging the process, and added five city council members to it. The defendants include the City of Corpus Christi, along with council members Carolyn Vaughn, Gil Hernandez, Sylvia Campos, Kaylynn Paxson and Eric Cantu.

Judge Hanks previously issued a temporary restraining order blocking the city from taking certain actions against the mayor while the case moves through federal court. When the temporary restraining order expired, Hanks scheduled the pre-trial hearing, the next key step that could determine whether the process continues or not.

Tags: