San Mateo court ruling clears path for supervisors to continue sheriff’s ouster proceedings
San Mateo County, California – A judge in San Mateo County has once again turned down Sheriff Christina Corpus’s request to postpone her removal proceedings. This is the sheriff’s second loss in court in June. Superior Court Judge Nina Shapirshteyn said that Corpus’ request for a temporary restraining order did not have enough evidence to support it. This allowed the procedures to continue as voters intended.
Sheriff Corpus made the motion in the hopes of stopping the removal process that started under Measure A, a county charter change that 84 percent of voters passed in March 2025. The bill gives the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors the power to look into and, if necessary, fire a sitting sheriff for significant wrongdoing, as long as at least four-fifths of the board members agree with the decision.
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Earlier this month, on June 9, another court turned down a similar request from Corpus, saying that her motion was “premature” because the procedure was still unfolding. The sheriff’s lawyers tried again, but Judge Shapirshteyn’s judgment on Wednesday made it clear that the board had the right to continue with the case.
The Board of Supervisors decided 5-0 on June 24 to move forward with Corpus’ potential removal. This latest verdict comes just days after that vote. That vote came after the board received a recommendation as part of the process set out by Measure A. The constitutional amendment, which will stay in place until the end of 2028, gives the board the right to act if it finds that there is a reason, such as breaking laws linked to the sheriff’s duties, failing to do their job, misusing public funds, making false official papers, or getting in the way of an inquiry.
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Even though the court ruled against Sheriff Corpus, she still has a chance to fight the ruling. The sheriff has the right to appeal the board’s decision and ask for a full evidentiary hearing where she can explain her case in detail during the removal process.
The county’s decision to hold the sheriff accountable has sparked intense debate, but officials say they are only following the will of voters who wanted more control of elected officials when they voted for Measure A. The board’s removal procedure is still on track because the judge denied another postponement. This means that the next several weeks could be very important for the future of San Mateo County’s embattled sheriff.
