LUBBOCK, Texas — Mark Meurer asked the Texas Supreme Court to return him to the Lubbock County Commissioners Court as the legal battle over who was entitled to represent Precinct 2 entered another phase.

At the same time, Commissioner Jason Corley submitted approximately $12,000 in private legal bills to Lubbock County, asking taxpayers to reimburse the cost of challenging his removal from office.

The dispute began after County Judge Curtis Parrish determined that Corley had automatically resigned by announcing or effectively beginning a campaign for Congress too early. Corley denied resigning and maintained that his initial announcement involved only an exploratory committee.

For several days in December 2025, Meurer occupied the Precinct 2 seat. A visiting district judge then temporarily restored Corley to office, prompting Meurer to pursue relief through the appellate courts.

Disagreement centers on Texas’ resign-to-run rule

The Texas Constitution’s resign-to-run provision applies to certain elected officials, including county commissioners. When an official announces a candidacy—or becomes a candidate in fact—for another office with more than one year and 30 days remaining in the current term, the announcement constitutes an automatic resignation.

Corley announced on Nov. 12, 2025, that he was forming an exploratory committee for Texas’ 19th Congressional District. The announcement reportedly used a “Corley for Congress” email address and branding left over from his unsuccessful 2016 congressional campaign.

Parrish concluded that the announcement and other communications demonstrated that Corley had become a congressional candidate before the constitutionally permitted date. On Dec. 8, Parrish declared the Precinct 2 office vacant and administered the oath to Meurer, a Slaton resident.

Corley argued that an exploratory committee was not an official candidacy announcement. He publicly declared his campaign on Dec. 2—one year and 29 days before his commissioner term was scheduled to expire—and filed his application with the Republican Party the following day.

Corley filed a lawsuit against Meurer on the same day Meurer was appointed, claiming no lawful vacancy existed. The details surrounding the original removal and lawsuit were documented in Lubbock Lights’ initial report.

State intervened in the fight

Corley initially sought to challenge Meurer’s authority through a legal procedure called quo warranto. The proceeding—Latin for “by what authority”—is used to determine whether someone is legally entitled to hold a public office.

Meurer’s attorney, Kristen Vander-Plas LaFreniere, argued that Corley could not initiate that kind of claim by himself. Under Texas law, a quo warranto action ordinarily must be brought by the state through the attorney general, a district attorney or a county attorney.

Potter County Attorney Scott Brumley was subsequently appointed to represent Texas after the Lubbock County Criminal District Attorney’s Office withdrew. Brumley intervened on the state’s behalf and filed a petition supporting the challenge to Meurer’s appointment.

The state argued that Corley had not automatically resigned and that Meurer was unlawfully exercising the powers of the Precinct 2 office.

During a Dec. 19 hearing, visiting retired Judge Patrick Pirtle issued a temporary ruling restoring Corley to the Commissioners Court. Meurer’s attorney immediately appealed and sought an emergency stay.

The Seventh Court of Appeals in Amarillo declined to grant immediate relief before the Dec. 22 Commissioners Court meeting. Corley consequently returned to the court and participated as the Precinct 2 commissioner.

Meurer sought emergency Supreme Court intervention

On Jan. 6, 2026, Meurer filed both a mandamus petition and an emergency motion for temporary relief with the Texas Supreme Court.

A writ of mandamus is an order directing a lower court or government official to perform—or stop performing—a particular action.

Meurer’s filing argued that his appeal should have automatically paused further proceedings in the district court. His attorneys contended that Pirtle continued the hearing despite the appeal and then removed Meurer through an oral temporary injunction that was not immediately reduced to a signed written order.

The filing asked the Supreme Court to suspend the district court’s ruling and allow Meurer to serve while his appeal proceeded. His lawyers warned that allowing Corley to vote on county matters could raise questions about the validity of Commissioners Court decisions if Meurer were later determined to be the rightful officeholder.

Corley dismissed the effort as an unnecessary use of taxpayer resources and predicted that the Supreme Court would not return Meurer to office. Parrish, meanwhile, maintained that he did not personally remove Corley; he said the resignation occurred automatically under the state Constitution and that he merely filled the resulting vacancy.

Corley sought $12,000 from the county

While Meurer pursued appellate relief, Corley asked Lubbock County to reimburse approximately $12,000 paid to private attorney Benjamin Garcia.

Corley maintained that Parrish’s actions forced him to hire an attorney to protect both his office and the representation of Precinct 2 voters. Parrish responded that the county generally should wait for a final judgment before paying legal expenses arising from an unresolved case.

The Commissioners Court considered the request later in January. Commissioners Mike Dalby, Cary Shaw and Jordan Rackler voted to reimburse Corley, while Corley did not participate in the vote. Parrish opposed deciding the issue while litigation remained pending, according to KCBD’s report on the reimbursement vote.

Supreme Court left Corley in office

The Texas Supreme Court temporarily paused the district-court proceedings in February while it considered Meurer’s petition. On May 1, however, the court denied the request for a writ of mandamus and lifted its stay, according to the court’s official order list.

That decision did not resolve every underlying legal question or determine definitively when Corley became a congressional candidate. It meant the state’s highest civil court would not grant the extraordinary order Meurer requested.

Corley therefore remained Precinct 2 commissioner. The Lubbock County Commissioners Court website continues to list him as the officeholder while remaining appellate and trial-court issues await resolution.