Opinion ID: 2497284
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Mayor McAdams met her burden of proof for the issuance of injunctive relief.

Text: ¶ 10. When considering a request for injunctive relief under Mississippi Rule of Civil Procedure 65(a), we must make findings that: 1) there exists a substantial likelihood that the plaintiff will prevail on the merits; 2) the injunction is necessary to prevent irreparable harm; 3) the threatened injury to the plaintiff outweighs the harm an injunction might do to the defendants; and 4) granting a preliminary injunction is consistent with the public interest. [9] ¶ 11. Mayor McAdams demonstrated a substantial likelihood that she would prevail on the merits. The law is clear that the mayor has the sole power to make appointments to the city attorney's office, and the wording of Section 25-1-7 provides that an office holder may hold over only under the authority given him to hold over. [10] ¶ 12. Also, the injunction was necessary to prevent potential irreparable harm that would result from actions taken by an individual purporting to act as city attorney in the absence of the authority to do so. ¶ 13. Finally, any harm to Littleton was minimal, when compared to the potential harm to the city and its citizens. Littleton acknowledged that his term had ended. Greenwood was without a city attorney for only a short term, and the injunction served the public interest because it prevented Littleton from illegally taking actions on the city's behalf.