Orange County’s top elections official lost a bid last week to speed up court proceedings to determine whether Orange County officials must release a December funding allocation to the elections supervisor amid a dispute over spending.

Elections Supervisor Glen Gilzean filed the lawsuit on Dec. 5 in the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court in order to compel county Comptroller Phil Diamond and the Board of Commissioners to turn over nearly $1 million to keep Gilzean’s department funded. The elections supervisor is scheduled to leave office on Jan. 6.

Judge Luis Calderon later decided Gilzean had laid out a “facially sufficient claim” for the court to issue a writ ordering county officials to turn over the funds.