A federal judge has sided with a group of Rio Grande Valley residents who sued FEMA over their response to Hurricane Dolly.

La Union del Pueblo Entero (LUPE) and 14 Valley residents sued Federal Emergency Management Agency back in November over their response the Category 1 Storm.

U.S. District Court Judge Hilda Tagle admonished FEMA in an injunction she signed against the agency last week.

Judge Tagle wrote in her injunction that FEMA failed to properly issue their criteria, standards and procedures to Valley residents seeking aid.

The Brownsville judge ordered that the agency correct the situation and reconsider the their applications.

The agency has until early October to come up with a plan while the plaintiffs have 20 days respond to the plan.

Court records show that FEMA has been the fighting the lawsuit based on claims.

One document filed by the agency shows that FEMA claims the plaintiffs did not thoroughly use the agency’s appeals and administrative process.

Judge Tagle noted that FEMA failed to meet a August 10th court deadline because the agency’s lead attorney wanted to attend a family wedding in Reno, Nevada from August 4th through August 14th.

The Brownsville judge gave FEMA more time to respond but admonished the agency for the short notice.

“While defense counsel and her many colleagues … deserve vacation, they should not have waited until six days before FEMA’s response is due … and simply leave town on the expectation that their motion would be granted,” Tagle wrote.