Ralph Northam's administration from removing an enormous statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee can proceed, a judge ruled Tuesday, clearing the way for a trial in the fall. Richmond Circuit Court Judge W. Reilly Marchant rejected much of the state's motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by a group of property owners along the residential boulevard where the statue is situated. Herring has vowed to continue the fight in court as long as it takes to see that the statue is removed. Critics of the statues say they distastefully glorify people who fought to preserve slavery in the South. Four other prominent statues of Confederate leaders have been taken down from city property along the avenue this summer.

RICHMOND, Va. A judge on Tuesday will weigh whether to dismiss a lawsuit seeking to prevent Virginia's Democratic governor from removing one of the most prominent tributes to the Confederacy, a statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee along Richmond's famed Monument Avenue. Richmond Circuit Court Judge W. Reilly Marchant will hear arguments on the state's motion to dismiss the lawsuit, which is being brought by a group of property owners along the prestigious residential street where the statue is located. Critics of the statues say they distastefully glorify people who fought to preserve slavery in the South. Four other prominent statues of Confederate leaders have been taken down from city property along the avenue this summer. But in a separate ruling the same day, he issued a new injunction in the property owners lawsuit.

RICHMOND, Va. – No more Confederate monuments will be taken down in Richmond, for at least 60 days, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Richmond Circuit Court Judge Bradley C. Cavedo issued a 60-day injunction which stops the city from removing any more Confederate monuments. The city began removing statues last week, after a new Virginia law went into effect. Rather than go through the process detailed in the law, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney ordered the immediate removal of the statues, citing the continuing demonstrations and concerns that protesters could get hurt if they tried to bring down the enormous statues themselves. The Times-Dispatch reports Cavedo is the same judge who blocked the removal of the city’s Robert E. Lee statue, which sits on state-owned land.

RICHMOND, Va. – A group of Richmond residents who filed a lawsuit challenging of the removal of the Robert E. Lee statue decided to file a notice of voluntary dismissal, which means the case will not move forward. The residents, who live on Richmond’s Monument Avenue, filed the dismissal on Wednesday. Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring removed this case to federal court within hours of its filing on Monday afternoon, according to his press secretary. It was originally filed in Richmond Circuit Court. While the original lawsuit won’t move forward, a lawyer representing the group of Monument Ave residents told 8News that he filed “a new, but similar, action to block the removal” in Richmond Circuit Court on Wednesday.