Attorneys representing embattled former Selma City Treasurer Ronita Wade and Selma Mayor Darrio Melton appeared in Judge Don McMillan’s courtroom Wednesday for a brief hearing.

Wade was represented by Montgomery attorney Julian McPhillips, who is also representing the three Selma Police Department (SPD) officers laid-off last year and at least one former city employee, in her suit against Melton, who was represented by Montgomery attorney Rick Howard.

The conflict between Wade and the mayor began in September 2017 when Wade was first placed on administrative leave.

“Every time the mayor has tried to dismiss Ronita Wade, she’s been reinstated by the council,” McPhillips said. “Not once, not twice, but three times. We are just trying to uphold what [the council] had done.”

McPhillips contends that Wade’s repeated dismissal by the mayor is an effort to usurp the independent powers of the city treasurer, an act he says is due to Melton’s interest in maintaining financial control over the city.

“She is the bulwark and an independent person appointed by the council to keep the mayor from running amok with the city’s finances,” McPhillips said.

In court, McPhillips argued that Wade should be reinstated permanently and noted that, despite the council taking that action multiple times, she has been kept from doing the job she was appointed to handle.

“Even when she was in her office, she was not able to do her job,” McPhillips said. “She was repeatedly interfered with.”

McPhillips also took issue with the claim that Wade was dismissed due to an “ongoing investigation,” the details of which he claims have never been made clear.

“That’s a ruse,” McPhillips said of the investigation. “A pretext.”

The Selma City Council was also represented in the case by Montgomery attorney Bobby Segall. McPhillips said the council’s attorney has been on hand to back Wade’s position.

Despite the brief hearing, McPhillips was pleased with the proceedings.

“He let us have a pretty full hearing on the merits of the case, which I was pretty surprised with” McPhillips said. “He seemed to be paying close attention to everybody, so hopefully we’ll get a very conscientious opinion.”

McMillan had originally planned to make a ruling in the case by Monday, but called each attorney Wednesday afternoon to request a draft order within 10 days, essentially a document describing the result each party would like to see in the case.

From the orders, the judge can implement one or pull pieces from each in making his decision – McPhillips said his order will call for Wade’s immediate reinstatement and detail the reasons for the necessity of the motion.

Howard’s order, McPhillips said, will likely oppose reinstatement on all fronts, while Segall’s will likely support Wade’s reinstatement.

McPhillips said once the orders are submitted, a ruling will be announced shortly thereafter.

Howard did not respond to a request for comment.