Michael J. Mortell
Former City Attorney & City Manager
Verified FL Bar
Law Firm
Lewis, Mortell & Lewis
Tenure
City Commissioner and Mayor 2009/10 when the "lawfare" against WJRIV commenced), City of Stuart Attorney 2013-2023:CHYR has hundreds of email from Mortell from both private and city emails beginning in 2010 until 2024. These emails are Public Record and do demonstrate Mortell's "gaslighting" of an inidigent mother, among other violations: his Oath to the Florida Bar, Oath to uphold the Consitution, etc. Many of Mortell's actions from 2010 were actual crimes, under statute, BECAUSE he was a public official and an officer of the Court. Mortell as Manager 2023-2025 was fired from the City "without cause"...the Commissioners were "traightors" and instead of firing him, "with cause",(the true amount of causes is extraordinary) Mr. Mortell, in spite of or because of" his bad white collar criminal behavior, has now been promoted to Trial Court Administrator of the 19th Judicial Circuit! This openly shows that Mortell is "getting rewarded" for lying, cheating, defrauding both the state & federal courts, the Stuart City commission, and "we the people" residents whom pay for everything!
Role in Case
Mortell was deeply involved in the foundation of this long-running conspiracy and scheme to defraud Rudge of his father's inheritance and estate, which included WJRIII's homestead @ 1701 SW Palm City Road in Stuart. Mortell remained sole City attorney on the case 09CA3586 City v Rudge for over a decade, faithfully defrauding the Court(s), City Commission, and the Public. The evidence of public record shows the City was the Principal and A to Z Properties was an accessory after the fact in this long running conspiracy and scheme to defraud WJRIV of his valuable private property and Florida homestead for his family. The Rudges, as defendants in both of the lawsuits commenced against them by co-conspirators City/AZ, are still defending their state and federal consitutions, in pursuit of evidentiary hearings or trials in the 19th Circuit, wherein the fraud commenced and is unabated even today!
⚠️ The Detrimental Impact on a Residential Private Property Owner and His Family is Astounding!
Mortell was not "the head of the snake" but he certainly used his governmental position(s) to obfuscate the true facts of the City's lawsuit against WJRIV from: the Courts, Stuart and Martin County Commissions, and the Public. FOR OVER A DECADE! This is indicative of institutional capture.
Instead of being arrested and indicted after being fired from his City Manager job for multiple infractions/crimes, Mortell was then rewarded and promoted to Trial Court Administrator in the 19th Circuit. How absurd!
Paul J. Nicoletti
Former City Manager in Jupiter and North Palm Beach. Code Enforcement Magistrate simultaneously at City of Stuart and Martin County. He and Kilbride drafted the City's December 11, 2009, Motion for An Ex-parte Temp Injunction & Expedited Hearing when no emergency existed.
Team Nicoletti/Kilbride/Mortell sand bagged the judge by not disclosing the City's October 13, 2009 contract with LEB Demolition to demolish 2 structures on Rudge property....or of the Citys' own December 6, 2009 "Affidavit of Compliance" citing to WJRIV's compliance. Nicoletti and Kilbride perjured themselves in their original lawsuit against Rudge family by informing the Court that Rudge was ignoring the City. WJRIV had rented a dumpster from the City, 6 days after the April 9, 2009 Magistrate hearing! Lying attorneys are very detrimental to the Public, at large, especially if they are employed & protected by a corrupt local government. It gets even worse when these unethical attorneys work in concert, with corrupt local cops and judges.This kind of situation always ends badly for residents/taxpayers.
Verified FL Bar
Nova Southeastern Law ('83)
Role in Case
City/County Code Enforcement Magistrate, City Attorney/City Manager Paul Nicoletti's involvement in the Rudge property began in 2007, when he quashed a contract for $160,000.00 between WJRIV and Amore Dementia Center, an adjacent neighbor. It was a win for Amore, as the land purchased from back of Rudge property would be a garden for the residents, a win for the Rudges as they would have some finances to help bring inherited property up to Code and win for City! Paul Nicoletti called the owners of Amore, and threatened owners, Phil and Sonia Hoffman to cancel the contract. The ironies of Don Paul Nicoletti's life are compelling: Nicoletti, as City attorney lied to the commission and public on April 12, 2010 from the dais. When WJRIV mentioned the city's armed force and his property being stolen, Nicoletti testifies: "Nothing was stolen, there was a lawful injunction after a hearing". This was a very harmful and prejudicial lie. Nicoletti threatened "incarceration" for WJRIV in a pleading and testifying falsely WJRIV was violating their infirmed, dishonest, unlawful lawsuit the City filed against WJRIV. CHYR has a 2010 letter from Attorney Nicoletti threatening to trespass CHYR from City Hall, when CHYR was trying to get to the bottom of what had happened and was happening; 1.4 acre land totally razed with police powers and the removal of family, with minor children, from their land, home and legal Florida homestead, under the threat of armed force! There is irony that Paul and Paula Nicoletti's photo was in the local newspaper, both dressed to the nines, looking glamourous at en event to help children in East Staurt yet behind the scenes at City, he is working to remove the Rudge family children from thier safe structured home...... and also conspiring to fraudlently, unlawfully attempt to acquire their lawful inheritance. HYPOCRITUS MAXIMUS!
⚠️ Nicoletti's Misconduct and the Impact on law- abiding, taxpaying, property owner and family
1.4 acres of private property near downtown Stuart levelled by the City's constractor LEB Demolition.
City moves in Court to remove Rudge family from homestead and City Commission seeks to prevent family from even entering their own land and Florida homestead.
Nicoletti, worked in concert with Assistant City Attorney and Mayor Mortell to deny WJRIV both a pre-deprivation hearing and post-deprivation hearing, a clear violation of Rudge's due process of law.
Robert L. Kilbride
Former Attorney City of Stuart, Currently an Adminstrative Law judge in Tallahassee Florida
FL Bar #1983 (40+ years)
Florida State Law
Law Firm
Fox Wackeen (CONFLICT: judge + attorney)
Role in Case
Kilbride conspired with City Attorney Nicoletti to draft an "ex parte" temporary injunction against WJRIV that was divorced from the true facts, filled with harmful perjuries, ie "Rudge ignored City" when City's affidavit noted Rudge's conpliance on December 6, 2009. City Attorneys Kilbride, Nicoletti, Mortell, and Judge Metzger all knew Magistrate's order in April said "No one shall enter the property without call or email to Mr. Sundheim". Kilbride, Nicoletti, Mortell and Judge Metzger were also well-aware that Rudge's counsel, Ken Sundheim had suddenly passed in April. These conspiratory criminals chose to ignore Fl.R.C.P 1.610(d) and Florida Statute 60:05...choosing instead, to obtain the Rudge property "under color of the law". Kilbride also defrauded the Federal Court by testifying that Rudge had not "motioned to dissolve" the City's bs injunction while "simultaneously" motioning in the 19th Circuit state court to "strike Rudge's Motion to Dissolve" [Judge Sherwood Bauer] This was an extremely harmful perjury that affected the outcome of the case No. 11-civ-14306. There is no time limit to overturn a judgement procured by fraud!
⚠️ Impact on the Rudge family
Private property destroyed under actual armed force, family thrown into street by City with the threat of armed force. Not only is there structural bias but confirmational bias. Kilbride, Nicoletti, and Mortell continually perjured themselves to the Court and Judge Metzger knowingly allowed it, making the judge complicit as well. This misconduct in these personal, professional and powerful relationships is the definition of institutional capture.
Lee Baggett
Current City Attorney (2024-present)
Verified FL Bar
This attorney also attended Nova Southeastern Law with Attorneys Nicoletti, Mortell and Judges Metzger & Bauer
Notable Connection
Baggett and Mortell were partners in a private law firm in Stuart
Role in Case
Baggett is Mortell 2.0. From the dais during City Commission meetings, Baggett continues Mortell's pattern of "smoke and mirrors". He perpetually lies about the facts in numerous cases the City is involved in...that have resulted in multiple residents being harmed and the harm never being remedied. Just like Mortell, Baggett chooses to repeat a false narrative and publicly disparages residents whom speak up about the City attorney office's brazen, blatant misconduct.
⚠️ Impact on Residents
Baggett's unethical behavior, like his predecessor Mortell's unethical behavior, has resulted in an institutional continuity of conflicts
Carri S. Leininger
Williams, Leininger, and Cosby Managing Partner, Appellate Defense Counsel
FL Bar #861022
Board Certified Appellate lawyer whom defrauded the US 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, on May 7, 2025, in her Answer in "defense" of City.
The City of Stuart was so proud of her, lying to the Federal Court in Case. No 24-11481 (11th COA) that the City "hired" her to defend the 19th Circuit state case [16CA484 Az v City County Rudge IV, Hall Yost-Rudge] in City's "defense" of their "dirty deeds, done dirt cheap" beginning with Case No. 09CA3586, City v RudgeIV! The majority of the Public do not want their taxes spent on a lying lawyer!
SCOTUS-admitted. The Rudges informed the Stuart Commission, on camera at CCM meeting, that the City's Attorney Leininger was filing pleadings for the City that were not "the true facts of the case". The Mayor and the commission ignored the Rudges, per usual. The Rudges, subsequently motioned to disqualify the City's unethical Carri Leiniger on March 17, 2026, with 180+ evidentiary dockets of Public record!
Education
University of Florida Law School ('90)
Law Firm
Carri Leininger is just another corrupt attorney being paid by City residents, to "cover-up" the mafia type behavior of Nicoletti, Kilbride, Mortell, Judge Metzger and LEB Demolition! The true facts and history of City v RudgeIV have been obfuscated for many years....by City attorneys, City Commissioners and Judges, whom conspired to keep the Rudges "out of court" for any due process evidentiary hearings or trials?? That is called "extrinisic fraud" and has been practiced by parties: City w/ Attorney Mortell, A to Z Properties w/ Attorney Alexzander Bonano from Gonano & Harrell, Martin County w/ Attorneys Sarah Woods & Elizabeth Lenihan.
Specialty
Carri Leininger is apparently an expert in "Government defense"....That gal did get an "alleged "win" in Federal Court by "perjuring" herself to federal judge Adalberto Jordan in her May 7, 2025 Answer for City. Carri Leininger's dishonety with the Court(s) is only perpetuating City Attorney Mortell's lies and unchecked "false narrative"... for over a decade! Astonishing! The City attorneys lie and win! WOW!
Role in Case
Carri Leininger is just another attorney, hired by the City, whom is keen on continuing the "cover-up" of the City's criminal misconduct in the long running conspiracy and scheme to defraud WJRIV of his private property and legal Florida homestead of his family. Carri Leininger clearly has no concern about these crimes...and they were not "victimless crimes", there were minor children involved that were "made homeless" by City? Carri Leininger has no concern for the Fl and US Constitutions, no concern for the truth,and cleary ZERO concern about City's "unremedied harm" to the Rudge family. City residents deserve to have "truthful, honest" attorneys representing their City Commission
⚠️ Impact on Rudge family
City's Attorney Carri Leininger's unethical behavior prohibits a lawful end to both of the lawsuits commenced against Rudge family by Plaintiff City, the Principal (2009) and Plaintiff A to Z Properties, an accessory after the fact (2016) and these R.I.C.O/Hobb's Act violation "tragedies" against the Rudge family continue, .... even to this day in 2026!
Alexzander Bonano
A to Z Properties Attorney
Verified FL Bar
Nova Southeastern Law
Law Firm
Gonano & Harrell (30+ year firm)
Role in Case
AZ's counsel, Zan Bonano sent a letter to WJRIV in 2016, advising WJRIV that the deed WJRIV signed to convey property for $6000.00 was "defective" AND AZ would drop their lawsuit Case No. 16CA484 if WJRIV signed the "curative deed" that AZ's counsel, Bonano had provided for WJRIV to sign. WJRIV never signed the curative deed leaving AZ with a "defective" deed. When an attorney tells the opposing party that their client's "deed is defective", and no curative deed is signed, then the deed is probably defective. WJRIV has motioned 4 times for a lawful "declaratory action" in this lawsuit commenced by AZ (in concert with City), first being filed in August 2019 and last December 30, 2025.... yet Judges Sweet, Roby, Metzger, etc. choose to ignore both WJRIV and CHYR's timely filed motions for OVER A DECADE...covering up the City's crimes by denying them evidentiary hearings or trials, according to the Due Process Clause. Az's attorney has practiced "extrinsic fraud" for years by refusing to answer CHYR and corroborate to set hearings/trials. Judges Sweet, Roby and Metzger were complicit by allowing AZ to commence a lawsuit and then refuse to show up to court, in an attempt to avoid the imminent defeat in their sham lawsuit. The 19th Circuit Court allowed Bonano to ignore WJRIV's April 4, 2025 Motion for Injunction to prohibit City and AZ's agents from entering the property. Subsequently, on January 27, 2026, the Court granted a hearing for Bonano's withdrawal as counsel for AZ, without ever addressing or sanctioning Bonano's unethical behavior. Funny how the Rudges have been seeking a due procees hearing for 16 years to no avail, but AZ's counsel whom practiced both intrinsic & extrinsic fraud gets a hearing easily
⚠️ Impact on Rudge family
Plaintiff AZ used fraud, deceit and trickery, telling WJRIV that the he would receive no money for damages from City v Rudge so $6000 was better than nothing". AZ President John Katsock, Jr. called CHYR in April 2020, after former President Norman Zlinkoff passed. In Katsock's inital call to CHYR, he called her a "motherfucking c**t" and informed her he drank "Dragon's blood". AZ President John Katsock Jr. died in September 2024.
Frederick G. Sundheim Jr.
Oughterson, Sundheim, and Woods
Fred Sundheim was a DEFENDANT in Federal Case No. 21-14425
Fred Sundheim is still No. 12 on the "Certificate of Interested Persons" in Case No. 24-11481 (now pending review in SCOTUS)
Fred Sundheim has been involved from the get-go! And he said nasty things about his brother, Kenny, when Kenny was still alive. Fred's younger brother, Ken, had an office in Oughterson, Sundheim and Woods, on Ocean Avenue, along with Robert Kilbride, the assistant City attorney. After Ken's unexpected, sudden & possibly suspicious death at age 57, Fred "took over" Ken's files (and bank account, I'd wager). WJRIV wrote a ten thousand dollar check to Kenny in April 2009, for his legal services, representing the Rudges in his correspondences with Nicoletti. Fred did not want to defend the Rudge family so Fred requested that the Rudges come pick up the files on December 23, 2009, at the same time City's contractor LEB Demolition is destroying their property with police powers, same day Laurel Kelly at Martin County Property Appraiser's office is removing WJRIV's homestead exemption (while he and family were occupying their homestead). Are these coincidences? The Rudges think not!
Address
612 SE Central Parkway, Stuart, FL
Specialty
Probate law, estate disputes
Law Firm
Oughterson Sundheim
Family
Daughter Sandra (law partner)
Role in Case
Ater blowing off the Rudges, asking them to come pick up their files on December 23, 2009, Fred reappeared in Rudge property issues in 2012 with his "Chicage Title Insurance". Commissioner Troy McDonald and Associate Auctions KC Daniels cooked up a "settlement" for City v RudgeIV. Associate Auctions auctioned all of WJRIV's inherited estate properties (WJRIII) in 2012 but did not auction the Rudge's homestead by January 31, 2013, according to the alleged settlement the City drafted. Fred Sundheim advised KC Daniel of Associate Auctions that there were "title issues", even after his brother Kenny had resolved the probate issues in the estate which legally cleared the title! WJRIV and CHYR never trusted Fred Sundheim and were upset he was even involved in the fraudulent "post-deprivation auction settlement" the City and Associate Auctions were offering. Fred's involvement in this is profound yet he operates "behind the scenes". CHYR has emails with Fred that demonstrate his involvement!
⚠️ Impact on Rudge family
Fred Sundheim was involved in the foundation of the long running conspiracy and scheme to defraud WJRIV of his private property and the family's homestead: Case No. 09CA3586 City v Rudge. Fred abandoned the Rudge family on December 23, 2009, leaving the Rudge family unprotected legally.... allowing the City to bully the Rudge family off their homestead into street and prohibit the family from entering their own property. In the US, all citizens are entitled to equal protection under the law and due process!
Terry McCarthy
Master Attorney - Land Planning/Real Estate
Verified FL Bar
Background
Martin County Attorney 1976-77
Law Firm
McCarthy, Summers, Wood, Norman, Melby & Schultz PA
Expertise
40+ years Treasure Coast real estate practice. Terry McCarthy was the "real estate attorney" in the sales of a few properties surrounding the Rudge property. His son-in-law Mike McCarty, after marrying Terry's daughter returned to Stuart, grandchildren included! Terry McCarthy gifted his son in law "Mike McCarty Land Planning". Tibiouchina Terrace, 16 townhomes on the Rudge property (starting at $599,000.00/unit) was Mike McCarty's ill-fated first project.
⚠️ Impact on Rudge family
CHYR knew Terry McCarthy socially from city and county commission meetings. Terry McCarthy would attempt to avoid speaking to CHYR. That did not deter CHYR from reaching out to him to represent her in Case No.16CA484 AZ v City, County, Rudge IV, Hall Yost-Rudge
Terry was well aware what had happened behind the scenes with his own son-in-law so he did not take our case! LOL! Both Terry McCarthy and his son in law Mike McCarty are complicit in the harm suffered by WJRIV, CHYR and children, due to their involvement in the long running conspiracy and scheme to defraud WJRIV of his private property and his family's Florida homestead.