A Miami commissioner fighting a $63.5 million civil damages verdict for political retaliation would be able to stop the garnishment of his city salary under a federal judge’s recommendation that was handed down on Aug. 14.

Judge Lauren Louis made the recommendation in the Southern District of Florida, finding that the garnishment writ for Commissioner Joseph Carollo should be dissolved. Carollo’s wages had been subjected to garnishment in the wake of Miami businessmen William Fuller and Martin Pinilla II winning civil damages after they accused the commissioner of retaliating against their businesses over the pair’s support for an opposition candidate.

But Louis rejected the plaintiffs’ argument that Carollo should not receive an exemption from the garnishment based on a head-of-family claim that he provided more than one-half of his wife’s support.