A Joliet City Council member prevailed against a legal challenge on Monday that could have led to his removal from elected office.

In a written ruling, Will County Judge Jennifer Lynch said she “lacks the jurisdiction” to remove Juan Moreno from the City Council based on an alleged pre-election violation regarding his residency.

Lynch ruled the “time for objections” to Moreno’s candidacy and judicial review of those objections has “long since passed.”

She said there is no dispute that no objections were filed against Moreno’s candidacy within the timeframe required under the law.

Lynch said there is no dispute that Moreno is currently a Joliet resident and the City Council has not “taken any steps to curtail” his participation as a council member.

She granted Moreno’s attorneys’ motion for summary judgment in a case that was filed last September, about five months after Moreno won a citywide seat on the council.

Moreno was a first-time candidate for public office when he ran in the April 1, 2025, election. He was the top-vote getter in the election.

Moreno received a large number of big campaign contributions from building trades unions and construction companies.

The building trades unions have been among the supporters of the proposed Joliet data center, which was set for a City Council annexation vote on Monday evening.

The case challenging Moreno’s candidacy qualifications was filed by Scott Pyles, an assistant state’s attorney for Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow.

Glasgow had endorsed Damon Zdunich, who had also been endorsed by Joliet Mayor Terry D’Arcy, when Zdunich ran in the April 1, 2025, election.

Based on that, Moreno’s attorneys unsuccessfully motioned for a special prosecutor.

Pyles filed what’s known as a quo warranto complaint to remove Moreno from office based on his not allegedly meeting the required residency requirements before running in the 2025 election.

Usually, quo warranto complaints are filed against elected officials who have a criminal record or other issue that precludes them from holding elected office.

Pyles contended Moreno’s legal residency was in a residence outside the city limits, and Moreno’s driver’s license, vehicle records and voter’s registration indicated he lived there.

Pyles argued Moreno did not formally change his address to a residence inside city limits until just a few months before filing to run in the 2025 election.

Moreno’s attorneys argued his residency was sufficient to run for office, and any challenge to his legitimacy as a candidate should have been made before the election.

Burton Odelson, one of Moreno’s attorneys, said during a previous court hearing that Pyles was making an “extraordinary ask” to remove an elected official for an alleged pre-election violation.

Pyles said the case was brought after an in-depth examination of Moreno’s residency that could not have been done in the time allowed for objections before candidates are placed on the ballot.

Moreno was represented by Odelson, Frank Andreano and Anna Bertani of the Tomczak Law Group in Joliet.