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Commissioners require county attorney oversight for county legal work
Summary
The board adopted a motion directing that all county departments route legal work through the county attorney and that assignments be made by the county attorney at the direction of a majority of the board. Commissioners said the step formalizes oversight and communication about pending legal matters.
The La Porte County Board of Commissioners voted Nov. 5 to require that department legal work be routed through the county attorney’s office and to have the county attorney make or assign outside work only at the direction of a majority of the board.
Commissioners said recent instances of legal matters proceeding without prior notification to the county attorney prompted the motion. County Attorney DiMartino confirmed there had been matters he learned about after work began but said the work was not inappropriate; he told the board he would comply with the directive and said he could follow up directly with department heads when matters arise.
The motion passed after board discussion and a second; commissioners instructed staff to notify department heads of the policy and to coordinate with offices that already retain separate legal counsel for specific functions (for example, the assessor’s office or public health where outside counsel is engaged by a department).
Commissioners directed the county administrator’s office to circulate guidance to department heads clarifying when matters must be routed to the county attorney and which departments may continue working with designated outside counsel.
