A Kings County Superior Court judge has ruled that four recalled Avenal City Councilmembers unlawfully remained in office after the results of the recall election were certified. The ruling marks a major development in the months-long legal battle surrounding Avenal's City Council and the recall effort against its members. Recall leaders say they are celebrating the decision as a victory for voters who supported removing the councilmembers from office. “It's been a long time coming. They were never supposed to hold office for this long,” said Dalila Barajas, a leader of the recall effort. The dispute dates back to September of last year, when Avenal city leaders moved forward with plans to create their own fire department. Recall organizers argued the decision was made without sufficient community input and began an effort to remove the councilmembers from office. MORE: kmph.com/watch Stay up to date with our social media: KMPH on Facebook: facebook.com/KMPHFOX26 KM...