The circuit judge in the Kylan Mabins case on Monday granted Springfield Public Schools' request for a new judge.
In September, Greene County Circuit Judge Derek Ankrom issued an injunction in favor of Mabins, a high school football quarterback who transferred from Kickapoo to Glendale in March.
Kickapoo High School had challenged the senior's eligibility to play football this fall and the Missouri State High School Activities Association three times upheld the district's finding that Mabins was ineligible.
Mabins had been the starting quarterback at Kickapoo the prior two seasons.
Mabins and his parents then went to circuit court, where Ankrom granted a preliminary injunction that allowed Mabins to play while the matter would be given more consideration during a comprehensive consideration of the matter.
Ankrom pointed out in his change-of-judge decision that Missouri law does not require that a reason be given for the first request for a new judge.
Ankrom wrote: “Under Missouri law, a party to a civil action has the absolute right to disqualify a trial judge once, without needing to allege or demonstrate any cause or reason justifying disqualification.”
A new judge has not yet been assigned.
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