A court hearing Tuesday will decide whether 351st District Judge George Powell of Houston has already lost his reelection bid after his filing fee for the Democratic Primary fell short by $1,000.

Because of the filing fee shortfall, the Harris County Democratic Party rejected Powell's application for the Democratic Primary in March. The judge filed a lawsuit to fight to get his name on the ballot.

The crux of the dispute is that Powell, who filed on the deadline of Dec. 9, 2019, paid $1,500 when he should have covered a $2,500 filing fee, court documents show. The party rejected his application the next day.