Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Legal Action topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Claiborne County Commission votes to authorize signing of opioid-lawyer contract amid disagreement over case type
Summary
After debate over whether the county's opioid suit is a class action, the commission voted to suspend the rules and directed the chairman to sign a contract with Jessee Law Firm to proceed as counsel; roll-call votes were 17–4 to suspend and 18–3 to direct signature.
A contentious exchange at the June 17 meeting culminated in the Claiborne County Commission voting to authorize the commission chairman to sign a contract with Jessee Law Firm to pursue the county's opioid-related litigation.
Commissioner David Mundy asked why County Mayor Joe Brooks had not signed the proposed retainer. Mayor Brooks said he had been told by the state attorney general's office that the matter is a class action lawsuit, and that was the reason he had withheld his signature. Crystal Jessee of Jessee Law Firm told the commission that "Claiborne County is the sole plaintiff in this case but that some cases had been combined for discovery purposes only," disputing the mayor's characterization.
Following discussion the commission voted to suspend the rules (roll call 17–4) and then, by roll call, voted 18–3 to direct the chairman of the county commission to sign the contract with Jessee Law Firm. The meeting minutes record the names of commissioners who voted for and against the motions. The commission adjourned after the vote.
Why it matters: the votes authorize county leadership to execute a contract for outside counsel to pursue the county's claims related to opioids; commissioners raised procedural and jurisdiction questions about class-action status before authorizing signature.
The motion to direct the chairman to sign the contract passed; the contract execution and any subsequent filings are administrative steps to be taken by the county mayor/chairman and counsel.
