FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas — Interim Fort Bend County Judge Daniel Wong filed a lawsuit Monday seeking a court declaration that he remains the county’s lawful interim judge and asking the court to prevent County Attorney Bridgette Lawson-Smith from challenging his authority to serve.
The lawsuit, filed in the 240th Judicial District Court, argues that Wong’s appointment remains valid unless another court vacates it. It also cites the Texas Constitution’s holdover provision, which allows appointed and elected public officials to continue serving until a successor is legally qualified to assume the office.
“I did not seek this lawsuit. I sought to do the job the district court entrusted me to do,” Wong said in a statement. “The people of Fort Bend County deserve certainty, stability, and a government focused on serving the public — not political disputes.”
Wong became interim county judge in April after a Galveston County district judge appointed him following the suspension of then-County Judge KP George. The suspension stemmed from a civil lawsuit filed by a Fort Bend County resident.
That lawsuit was dismissed June 17 after George was sentenced to five years of probation and 180 days in county jail following his conviction in a money laundering case.
Lawson-Smith previously argued that the dismissal of the civil case ended the legal basis for Wong’s appointment. In a June 25 letter to Wong’s attorney, Chris Hilton, she said the court order naming Wong interim judge was no longer in effect once the underlying lawsuit against George was dismissed.
In response to the lawsuit, Lawson-Smith said she intends to file a legal response and defended her office’s actions.
“I am exercising the duties of this office, which is to inform the members of the court and employees of information that would create legal exposure, which includes someone occupying an office without clear legal authority to do so,” Lawson-Smith said in a statement.
She also described the lawsuit as part of a broader pattern of political attacks against her office since George changed political parties in 2025.
Court records show Wong’s lawsuit also alleges Lawson-Smith exceeded her authority by directing county officials to revoke his access to county buildings and government computer systems after concluding that his appointment had expired.
Hilton accused the county attorney of acting beyond the scope of her office.
“Rather than serve her constituents, she is abusing her office by pushing ridiculous opinions that have no basis in law,” Hilton said in a statement.
The dispute follows a contentious Fort Bend County Commissioners Court meeting on June 25, when Democratic commissioners Grady Prestage and Dexter McCoy left the meeting in protest over Wong presiding as county judge. The commissioners argued that the court lacked a legal quorum after their departure and called the meeting invalid. Wong continued the meeting with Republican commissioners Andy Meyers and Vincent Morales and the court approved several agenda items.
Wong is the Republican nominee for Fort Bend County judge in the November election and is scheduled to face Democratic nominee Dexter McCoy.