An L.A. Superior Court judge will allow former Councilman Herb Wesson to continue his temporary stint on the L.A. City Council, Thursday.

Judge Mary Strobel had previously blocked Wesson from serving on the 10th district chair after a lawsuit was filed by The Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Southern California (SCLC-SC), a group that councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas once served as executive director for, argued that Ridley-Thomas should not have been removed from the council.

Ridley-Thomas was suspended by the council after allegations of being involved in a bribery scheme, and may be allowed to return to the if the charges are.

The council had voted in former councilman Wesson to take over for Ridley-Thomas’ spot on the 10th district seat until the end of 2022.

“Throughout the emails I received and numerous meetings I engaged in with the residents of the 10th District, the community overwhelmingly suggested that former Councilmember Herb Wesson should serve as the appointee for Council District 10,” Council President Nury Martinez said about Wessson’s reinstatement. “The judge previously ruled that the Council absolutely had the authority to suspend Councilmember Ridley-Thomas, and today she denied the petitioners’ request to prevent Mr. Wesson from serving as Councilmember for the 10th District. The people of the 10th deserve a vote on this Council and today we gave that to them.”

An attorney for the SCLC said it will continue its pursuit against the city council and what they believe was an illegal appointment, according to LAist.

Having their case heard may require allowance from California Attorney General Rob Bonta.

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