Fort Bend County Attorney Bridgette Smith-Lawson has asked a judge to temporarily halt the very lawsuit she filed against interim County Judge Daniel Wong, a legal pivot that deepens uncertainty over whether the county can adopt a tax rate that directly affects Missouri City and Stafford homeowners.

Smith-Lawson filed the motion in the 400th District Court, asking Judge Ed Krenek for a "limited conditional abatement" of her quo warranto case, according to the Fort Bend Independent. Instead of pressing forward, she wants Wong to return to Visiting Judge Jeth Jones and seek a new, prospective court order with a state prosecutor present, as required under Texas Local Government Code 87.018(f).

Her motion argues that Jones' April 10 order appointing Wong is void because no state prosecutor participated. Smith-Lawson wrote in the filing that county actions taken under Wong's authority will remain legally vulnerable unless a new lawful order is issued prospectively.

Under the proposal, Wong would have a fixed deadline to seek the new order. If he doesn't act or no valid order is issued by that deadline, the abatement ends automatically and Judge Krenek's court would proceed to rule on Wong's claimed title.

Wong's attorney calls it a strategy shift

Chris Hilton, Wong's attorney, pushed back. "The County Attorney built her entire public narrative around the claim that County Judge Wong's appointment was fatally defective," Hilton said in an Aug. 4 statement reported by Covering Katy News. "Now she is asking the court to pause this very case so a different procedural path can be pursued."

Wong, in a separate statement the same day, said his focus remains on county operations.

A hearing on the abatement motion is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 5, before Judge Krenek. The hearing is expected to address only the next procedural step, not whether Wong can remain in office. The outcome was not available at publication time.

No court has ruled Wong lacks authority.

Tax-rate vote hangs in the balance

The legal standoff carries real budget consequences. Texas law requires four of five Commissioners Court members to levy a tax rate. Democratic Commissioners Dexter McCoy and Grady Prestage have boycotted meetings since June 17, leaving only Wong and Republican Commissioners Andy Meyers and Vincent Morales present.

At a budget workshop on Tuesday, Aug. 4, County Auditor Ed Sturdivant warned that reverting to a default lower tax rate could take "as many as five years" to recover from, according to Covering Katy News. The county is also preparing roughly $120 million in bonds for road projects and $30 million for parks. Without a quorum, those projects stall.

Finance Director Pamela Gubbels said the county would automatically operate under the lower of its current rate or the no-new-revenue rate without a four-member vote, eliminating proposed cost-of-living raises for county employees.

The budget calendar has shifted. Commissioners Court is scheduled to propose a tax rate on Thursday, Aug. 13. The proposed budget is to be filed Aug. 31, with a first public hearing Sept. 9 before the final adoption vote on Thursday, Sept. 10.

Boycotting commissioners set conditions

Both commissioners said in a joint video on Aug. 4 that their absence is not about the budget itself. "The issue is the unresolved legal uncertainty surrounding Mr. Wong's authority to preside over Commissioners Court while that question is still before the courts," McCoy said.

Both said they would return if Wong steps aside while courts resolve the dispute. Commissioner Meyers countered that the boycotting members have acknowledged the financial harm but intend to continue anyway.

Wong was appointed April 10 by Judge Jones after elected County Judge KP George was suspended in connection with a civil removal petition. George was convicted of felony money laundering in March and sentenced to 180 days in jail and five years' probation; he has appealed. Wong is the Republican nominee for county judge and will face McCoy in the November general election.

Residents can track Commissioners Court agendas and watch meetings live at fortbendcountytx.gov. The next scheduled meeting is Thursday, Aug. 13.