A Hidalgo County district court judge recused himself this week from presiding over a lawsuit between the Weslaco school district and its former human resources director.
State District Judge Luis Singelterry’s recused himself from the case involving former human resources director Melva Segura Tuesday, but his motion wasn’t filed with the court until Thursday morning. On Friday, the district called for the dissolution of a temporary restraining he signed that bars the district from terminating Segura.
The motion to recuse was referred to Presiding Judge of the Fifth Judicial Region Missy Medary for reassignment, the order shows.
Former WISD human resources director Melva Segura sued the district last week after a forensic audit criticized her management of that department.
The district’s board was preparing to consider terminating Segura’s contract when she filed the suit, which alleges the findings of the audit are inaccurate and the product of board politics.
Last week Singleterry signed a temporary restraining order that prevented the district from terminating Segura’s contract or changing her salary and benefits.
The suit was also referred to mediation.
The order doesn’t explain Singleterry’s motivations for recusing himself and he did not respond to requests for comment.
Social media posts made after news of the lawsuit broke last week questioned Singleterry’s relationship with some individuals sitting on the board and appear to show Singleterry performing a swearing-in ceremony for a Weslaco trustee who was serving when Segura was placed in the human resources director role despite lacking qualifications for that position.
Meanwhile, the district filed an answer to Segura’s suit Friday and called for her TRO to be dissolved.
The district’s answer denies Segura’s claims on a variety of grounds and calls for the court to dismiss them.
It argues her TRO should be dissolved because Segura did not provide notice to the district and because she can’t meet the requirements for injunctive relief.
A temporary injunction hearing for Segura’s case was still set for Oct. 14 as of Friday afternoon.
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