South Texas Judge Placed On Leave After She's Found To Be Non-U.S. Citizen

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX — A municipal court judge was placed on unpaid leave she was discovered not to be a U.S. citizen, according to media reports this week.

Corpus Christi Mayor Pro Tem Lucy Rubio confirmed with the Corpus Christi Caller-Times newspaper that Judge Young Min Burkett was placed on leave for 90 days to allow her enough time to obtain citizenship, the Associated Press reported.

Rubio said the city never asked the jurist whether she was a citizen during the process to become a municipal judge, according to the report. But she insisted that Burkett never intended to deceive or misrepresent her background, she told the newspaper.

City attorneys reportedly reviewed the matter subsequent to the revelation to determine Burkett's ruling from the bench remain valid and lawful, according to the report. The Caller-Times reported that Burkett did not return telephone calls seeking comment, and her nationality remains unclear.

>>> Read the full report at Associated Press

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