Yates filed a lawsuit in May 2024 (over 10 months after separation) claiming he was terminated  without cause. The court ruled that he was not terminated, but rather the Council voted to not renew his 1-year contract.

The remaining question: When voting 3-2 to not renew, Yates argued that Councilman Henry Rosenthal should have recused himself, leaving a 2-2 vote when a majority would be required for non-renewal. The primary question: Did Rosenthal have a conflict of interest that would have required him to recuse himself in the vote to not extend the Yates contract. Without Rosenthal’s vote, there would not have been the required majority to not extend.  

A conflict of interest arises when an official’s private financial, family, or business interests could benefit by the outcome of the vote.  The Village argued that Rosenthal would not have received financial benefit from the passage of the vote to not renew.  

The Oct 14 trial ran from 9:30 AM to 5 PM, with Judge James Morgan, Upper Keys Division Circuit Judge presiding.  The Village was represented by Eric Stettin, of Weiss Serota, hired and paid for by the Village insurance company.  The insurance coverage limit of $100,000 was reached in the case, so now the Village is responsible for legal costs and are now represented by both trial attorney Erica Hausdorff of Weiss Serota along with Stettin, with the Village paying the legal fees of $250/hour up until October 1, 2026 and then $325/hour starting Oct 1 2026 under the nearly signed contract with Weiss Serota.  

The attorney’s for both sides are now to prepared legal briefs and then the judge will make his finally decision, expected near the middle of November.