RIO GRANDE CITY - A new municipal judge has been appointed in Rio Grande City.

Balicio Villareal is replacing former judge Leonel Lopez Jr., who pled guilty to federal bribery charges in late-March.

CHANNEL 5 NEWS asked judge Villareal what this change will mean for the community.

"Well for this community my intentions are simply put. I want to make this department one of the best in the state of Texas,” he says.

Villareal says his priority is to provide transparency in the department by releasing reports to the general public each month.

Watch the video above for more information.