INGLEWOOD – As the Boys II Men song goes…”we’ve come to the end of the road”.
The lawsuit between Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts Jr. and his ex-aide Melanie McDade came to an end according to the most recent ruling in her ongoing suit against the City.
Attorneys representing Mayor Butts attended court on Nov. 4, where the judge denied a request made by McDade on Oct. 27 for “more time” to obtain new legal counsel under an Ex Parte Application.
Superior Court Judge Lia Martin DENIED that request, according to the minute order posted to the Court’s website.
“EXPARTE APPLICATION FOR ORDER EXTENDING TIME TO FILE OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT filed 10-27-2025 by Melanie McDade Dickens is DENIED as fully reflected in the ORDER DENYING PLAINTIFF’S EX PARTE APPLICATION FOR ORDER EXTENDING TIME TO FILE OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANTS’ MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT as MODIFIED by the Court, signed by the Court, and filed this date.”
McDade was not present for the Nov. 4 ruling.
The Court’s minute order indicated the parties were back in court today, Nov. 6, with both McDade and the attorney representing Mayor Butts, where Judge Martin vacated the scheduled January 2026 trial date.
Judge Martin’s ruling effectively terminated the lawsuit in its entirety.
Nearly $3 million in legal fees have been spent on the matter; however, Mayor Butts will not have this hanging over his head as he prepares to launch his reelection campaign for an unprecedented fifth term in office.
Inglewood will hold elections on June 2, 2026. As of now, no one has officially declared their intentions to run against him.
Yolanda Davidson, who previously ran for Inglewood City Council in November 2022, for Council District 1 against then Councilman George Dotson and West Basin Board member Gloria Gray has announced her intention to run against Gray next June.
Davidson received the third most votes in the election. With Dotson off the council, she has a clear path to unseat Gray should the voters decide to go in another direction.
Gray currently represents Inglewood on both the City Council and the West Basin water board with water rate increases looming for residents at the beginning of the year.
Because of the conflict of interest, Gray had to recuse herself from voting on the matter when West Basin voted to raise wholesale water rates for Inglewood residents.
