MARTINSVILLE, Va. – A judge on Friday dismissed a months-long effort to recall Mayor LC Jones, allowing the Martinsville mayor to remain in office after a legal battle that began in January.
The ruling came after a packed courtroom hearing in which Jones’ attorney argued the recall petition did not meet the signature threshold required under Virginia law. The recall effort had temporarily suspended Jones from Martinsville City Council for about two months while the case moved through court.
“Today is a victory not only for myself, but also for the citizens of Martinsville,” Jones said outside the courtroom following the decision.
Jones’ attorney, Mark Krudys, argued the 401 signatures submitted on the January recall petition fell hundreds short of the number needed based on the 2022 election in which Jones won his council seat. Krudys called the ruling a “total vindication.”
“This whole case was dismissed, and it was dismissed with prejudice,” Krudys said. “It’s gone. It’s not coming back. It should never have been brought.”
At the center of the dispute was how to calculate the required number of signatures needed for the petition to advance. Under state law, petitioners needed signatures equal to 10% of the votes cast in the election where Jones was elected.
In the 2022 Martinsville council race, voters could select up to two candidates on the ballot. the judge ruled the threshold should be based on the total number of votes cast, rather than the number of physical ballots submitted, meaning one voter could account for multiple votes.
Recall petition organizer Patti Covington said she was disappointed by the decision.
“I feel like citizens of Martinsville have been penalized by trying to get transparency or accountability,” Covington said.
The court also addressed Jones’ request for reimbursement of legal fees. Jones’ legal team sought about $81,000 from the city, but the judge awarded $40,000.
Special prosecutor Alfred Collins III criticized the decision to require taxpayers to cover part of the legal costs.
“To hold them accountable for trying to do the right thing as citizens, to hold their government accountable, seems to be counter to what we’re doing here in the justice system,” Collins said.
Despite Friday’s ruling, Jones still faces a separate criminal investigation by the Virginia State Police.