Judge Asked to Hold Mayor in Contempt for Interfering in Dolton Operations After Ordered Not To

Trustees claim Henyard disobeyed judge by attempting to fire employee who cooperated with her opponents, refusing to demand her pick for Police Chief step down

Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard in hot water again, accused of disobeying judges orderPhoto byScreen Capture/Youtube Video [Creator]

DOLTON, IL - In a heated courtroom battle, Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard found herself at the center of controversy after being accused of defying court orders and meddling in village operations. A Cook County judge had been asked to hold Henyard in contempt, but after a tense session, the mayor was spared from contempt charges—though not without stern warnings.

Judge Thaddeus Wilson, on September 25, issued a temporary restraining order preventing Henyard from appointing a new village administrator, attorney, and police chief without prior approval from the village trustees. Despite this order, trustees returned to court on Thursday, alleging that Henyard violated the ruling by cutting off her former advisor Keith Freeman’s access to vital village systems. Freeman, once Henyard’s top aide, fell out of favor when he began working with Henyard’s political opponents, leading to her attempt to remove him from his position.

Further claims from the trustees included accusations that Henyard’s selected police chief—whose appointment was blocked by the court—refused to surrender his badge, uniform, and access to the police station. Additionally, they stated that Henyard’s allies had interfered with efforts to change locks on village buildings, leaving laid-off employees with continued access.

During the hearing, Henyard’s attorney, Max Solomon, assured the court that the mayor would comply moving forward. "She has promised to follow your order, and she will," Solomon told the judge.

Though Judge Wilson declined to hold Henyard in contempt, he offered a clear warning: "I don’t have a problem enforcing my rulings. This is fair warning to both sides."

After the hearing, Solomon dismissed the trustees' allegations as "false and dramatic," insisting that Henyard was the victim of internal political struggles and poor communication among village leadership.

Meanwhile, Henyard instructed Freeman to report daily on his activities at the Village Hall, a response to previous claims that Freeman had been frequently absent from his duties—an accusation that had fueled her administration's attempt to terminate his employment.