ST. LOUIS—In a pointed court filing, a federal judge said this week he wants the city of St. Louis Board of Aldermen President Megan Green to explain why the parties filed suit against the state of Missouri over a new law regarding control of the city’s police department after they “abandoned their case without so much as a muttering retreat.”

District court judge Matthew Schelp had previously given plaintiffs until Monday to file an amended complaint to overcome potential procedural issues with the case. The suit was filed in the last hours of now-former Mayor Tishaura Jones’ administration on April 14 before Cara Spencer was sworn in the following day.

Both Green and Spencer have agreed that the suit as filed would not have stopped the state’s takeover of the department. Spencer has reiterated that state court would be the proper venue for such a suit. Neither plaintiff responded by the court’s deadline to explain why the state could be sued and why it was filed in federal court.

“After having the fundamental jurisdictional issue called to their attention, the City and Green went radio silent—at least to the Court. The Court can only speculate as to Plaintiffs’ purpose in hastily filing a slipshod action in federal court because they altogether ignored the Order while publicly discussing the matter with the press,” Schelp wrote, while also highlighting typographical errors in the original filing.

“Plaintiffs’ silence with the Court raises the appearance that they brought this action for improper purposes,” he added, “namely, to harass the State of Missouri, to attract publicity or to make a public statement of protest.”

The plaintiffs have until April 30 to explain in writing why they had “proper purpose for bringing this action” and did not violate court rules of procedure.

A spokesperson for Green said the suit was filed “in good faith to represent the interests of city residents and despite the personal risks involved.”

Spencer could not immediately be reached for comment to react to the new order, but on Wednesday criticized the original suit.

“It was a faulty lawsuit. This was filed the day before I took office, so we’re in the process of evaluating the merits of the potential lawsuit and how we move forward with it” she said.

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe said Thursday he would announce appointees to the new board that would oversee the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department after the General Assembly’s work for the session ends May 16. The work to name a transition director for the process will apparently last longer than initially expected.

The expectation was that someone would be named to the post as early as this week. Kehoe, talking to reporters after an event in Arnold on Thursday, said it would happen soon.

“All of the things that are supposed to be happening are happening, but you don’t want to just artificially set a time and just shove somebody in because of a number of days that somebody has mentioned. We want to make sure the right person is in the spot.”

Kehoe said applicants have started stepping forward for the five seats on the board that will oversee the department and will serve along with St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer. The members will serve in acting capacities until their approval by the state senate during next year’s session starting in January.

SLMPD Chief Robert Tracy met with Kehoe earlier this week in the capitol, and Kehoe has been in touch with Spencer.

“You’ve got a new mayor, she’s very willing, open to make sure community safety is something very important to her,” Kehoe said. “I’m not telling you she’s 100% on board, loves the idea, but she understands that what we both want is a safer St. Louis city and a safer St. Louis region, and when we get that, we drive investment and when we drive investment good things happen.”