FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas – Fort Bend County Precinct 2 Commissioner Grady Prestage says he will preside over Thursday’s Commissioners Court meeting after county officials concluded that Daniel Wong’s appointment as interim county judge expired following the dismissal of the civil lawsuit that led to his appointment.
The move comes in the aftermath of former Fort Bend County Judge K.P. George’s sentencing and suspension from office, setting off a legal dispute over whether Wong continues to have authority to serve as interim county judge.
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In a statement released Wednesday, Prestage said county officials had been advised that the legal basis for Wong’s appointment no longer exists.
“Yesterday, I and my fellow Commissioners were formally advised by County Attorney Bridgette Smith-Lawson that the legal basis for Daniel Wong’s appointment as interim judge is no longer valid,” Prestage said. “According to state law, there are now only four members of the commissioners court with legal authority to hold office and conduct county business. As the most senior member of Commissioners Court I will be responsible for presiding over county business until a replacement is made.”
A person who has seen the email sent to Commissioners noted that the message from Smith-Lawson was not sent to Wong.
KPRC 2 News reached out to Smith-Lawson for comment but have not heard back.
Prestage added that county operations would continue uninterrupted.
“The people of Fort Bend County should be assured that the county will continue its regular order of business and continue to deliver the quality services they have come to expect,” he said. “I would like to thank Mr. Wong for his brief service to the county and wish him the best of luck.”
Lawsuit Against KP George Was Basis for Wong’s Appointment
Wong was appointed interim county judge on April 10, 2026, after an assigned judge signed an order in a civil removal case filed against George.
The appointment was made under Section 87.017 of the Texas Local Government Code, which allows a district judge to temporarily suspend an officer and appoint another person to perform the duties of the office while a removal case is pending.
According to the Fort Bend County Democratic Party, the legal basis for Wong’s appointment ended on June 17 when the plaintiff in the civil removal case filed a notice of nonsuit, dismissing all claims against George.
The party argues that because Wong’s appointment was tied to the pending civil removal lawsuit, the dismissal of that lawsuit automatically dissolved the interlocutory order that appointed him.
The Democratic Party further points to a June 16 order signed in the 458th Judicial District Court suspending George from office without pay pending appeal of his felony convictions under Section 87.032 of the Texas Local Government Code, which governs removal and suspension following criminal convictions.
Under the party’s interpretation of state law and relevant court precedents, Wong’s temporary appointment expired automatically at 11:58 a.m. on June 17, when the notice of nonsuit was filed.
Prestage: Authority Expired June 17
During an interview with KPRC 2 News’s Re’Chelle Turner, Prestage said the dismissal of the civil lawsuit eliminated the legal foundation for Wong’s interim appointment.
“When the case was withdrawn and non-suited, that means that interim appointment went away,” Prestage said. “That’s the gist of it, it went away, he no longer has the authority to be the interim county judge. That expired on June 17th.”
Prestage also raised concerns about actions taken after that date.
“And the important part for us is that any action that he tries to take, or is taken since June 17th, can be brought into question,” Prestage said. “So we want to sort of rectify the situation right now.”
Wong Disputes Interpretation
Wong, however, rejects claims that his appointment has expired and maintains that he remains the lawful county judge.
In a statement to KPRC 2 News Wednesday, Wong said:
“County Judge Daniel Wong continues to be the County Judge for Fort Bend County. His appointment remains in effect, and County Judge Wong will continue to serve the people and execute the duties of the office. Contrary to those who are trying to sow chaos and division, Judge Wong remains committed to doing what is best for Fort Bend County.”
The disagreement sets up a potential legal and procedural conflict over who has authority to preside over county government until a permanent replacement is selected.
A statement from Fort Bend County Attorney Bridgette Smith-Lawson on the Conclusion of Daniel Wong’s Term as Interim County Judge:
The temporary appointment of former Interim Fort Bend County Judge Daniel Wong, arising from Cause No. 25-DCV-335003, has concluded.
Mr. Wong was appointed as Interim County Judge on April 10, 2026, and has served Fort Bend County pursuant to that appointment. On June 17, 2026, the District Judge signed an Order of Nonsuit, disposing of all matters in controversy. This order officially concluded the litigation and dissolved the temporary appointment. Consequently, Mr. Wong no longer possesses the legal authority to act as County Judge.
Currently, there are only four lawfully seated members of the Commissioners Court—the elected precinct commissioners. Because these four members constitute a legal quorum, the Court can and should proceed with county business without a presiding County Judge. Mr. Wong cannot legally participate in Commissioners Court meetings or hold himself out as the current judge unless he secures and presents a new, active court order. To date, no such order has been delivered to the County.
The guidance from this office is based entirely on Texas law, free from partisan politics. It would be irresponsible for the County to ignore the existence of the non-suit which could expose the County to unnecessary risk.