The Unionist Mayor of Derry has won the first round of his legal battle to regain the trappings of office, which were withdrawn last month by the nationalist-controlled council.
Mr Richard Dallas has been granted leave to apply for a judicial review in the High Court in Belfast of council decisions which relegated him to mayor in name only.
SDLP and Sinn Fein councillors voted to stop him representing the city at civic functions and also stripped him of his official car and secretarial assistance after he took part in a loyalist blockade of Craigavon Bridge during the Drumcree stand-off.
Mr Dallas has claimed the decisions were an abuse of power and also amounted to religious or political discrimination in breach of the 1973 Northern Ireland Constitution Act. It is expected that the court hearing, at which a judge will be asked to order the council to restore Mr Dallas to his former position, will take place later this month.