MIAMI – A Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Jorge Cueto recused himself from a case deciding whether Miami city commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones can run for a third consecutive term.
He previously ruled that Spence-Jones couldn't run for a third consecutive term because it would violate the city charter, which only allows for two terms. Former commissioner Richard Dunn sued her over the issue.
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The new judge can uphold Cueto's ruling or hold a new hearing.
Cueto investigated Spence-Jones when he was a prosecutor during her corruption case, which removed her from office for 17 months soon after she was elected to her second term. The bribery charges against her were dropped and Spence-Jones returned to the commission while receiving back pay and attorney's fees from the city.
Spence-Jones claimed that time out of office allowed her to seek a third term since she didn't actually serve a full second term.