Updated July 13 at 11:15 a.m.

The first court date for Montgomery County Judge Craig Doyal, Precinct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley, Precinct 4 Commissioner Jim Clark and political consultant Marc Davenport has been rescheduled to Aug. 2. The hearing was originally scheduled for July 13.

Updated June 28 at 4:25 p.m.

The State Commission on Judicial Conduct has suspended Montgomery County Judge Craig Doyal without pay. Doyal, Precinct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley and Precinct 4 Commissioner Jim Clark have been accused of negotiating details for the Montgomery County road bond election in November with each other and the Texas Patriots PAC via email in violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act. The act mandates that a quorum—or majority of elected officials of a governing body—must deliberate matters in a public meeting. The suspension, effective immediately, comes after Doyal, Riley and Clark were indicted on Texas Open Meetings Act violation charges June 24. Political consultant Marc Davenport was also indicted. Riley and Clark were not suspended because they do not fall under the commission’s jurisdiction, officials said. "Any judge may be suspended from office with or without pay by the commission immediately upon being indicted by a state or federal grand jury for a felony offense or charged with a misdemeanor involving official misconduct,” the commission stated in the suspension order. The suspension order states that the suspended judge has the right to a post-suspension hearing to “demonstrate that continued service would not jeopardize the interests of parties involved in court proceedings over which the judge would preside nor impair public confidence in the judiciary." Doyal has already filed for a post-suspension hearing, Doyal’s attorney John Choate said. “We have already filed our request for a hearing before the Commission of Judicial Conduct,” Choate said. “Their suspension was strictly based upon the fact that there was an indictment. We don’t believe they have heard any evidence, reviewed any documents or any testimony.” County Attorney JD Lambright said the suspension is similar to the suspension of Smith County Judge Joel Baker the commission ordered June 22. Unlike Baker, however, he said Doyal does not perform judicial functions. “The commission got a copy of the indictment [June 25] and took those steps today,” Lambright said. “Our county judge does not perform any judicial functions—some county judges do. He doesn’t do the kind of things a typical judge would do.” Lambright said county commissioners will continue to operate Commissioners Court during Doyal’s absence. Doyal will challenge the Texas Open Meetings Act violation charges in court. Choate said Doyal only communicated with one county commissioner during the road bond negotiation, which is permissible under the act. "Open meetings law, which Judge Doyal has followed for 30 years, requires those procedures if more than two public officials meet to discuss government business," Choate said. "We believe that there will be no evidence that the judge met with anyone other than commissioner Charlie Riley and members of the Texas Patriots PAC, who are private citizens." The first court date for Doyal, the commissioners and Davenport is July 13, Choate said.