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Compton council approves $200,000 settlement with former city attorney after closed-session review
Summary
In closed session the Compton City Council unanimously approved $200,000 in settlements to resolve two lawsuits involving former city attorney Eric Perrigan, a decision city counsel urged as a cost-saving alternative to prolonged litigation. The agreements include mutual non‑disparagement provisions and will be published after execution.
The Compton City Council on Dec. 16 voted unanimously in closed session to approve settlement agreements resolving two lawsuits involving former city attorney Eric Perrigan.
Outside counsel for the city summarized the litigation history and told the council the city had spent roughly $400,000 in legal fees to date and faced at least an additional estimated $200,000 if the cases continued. Counsel said Perrigan had initially sought as much as $2.2 million in settlement demands and that negotiations culminated in a $200,000 agreement.
“Originally he started at $2,200,000,” counsel said, “and when we met on Monday, December 8, he was down to 350,000, and the settlement was reached at $200,000.” The counsel also said Perrigan voluntarily resigned as city attorney on Dec. 8 and that the agreement contains a provision barring defamatory statements by either side.
Council members recorded no questions for counsel during the public account of the settlement. The clerk said the settlement agreements will be made available by the city clerk upon final execution, as required by law.
The report to the public followed a formal closed-session motion earlier in the meeting to confer with legal counsel about the two cases: Everett J. Perrigan v. Compton City Council (Los Angeles County Superior Court case no. 24STCPO2047) and City of Compton v. Eric Perrigan (case no. 25STCP00911). The council’s report noted the matters were resolved and the approvals were unanimous.
Next steps are administrative: the city clerk will publish the executed settlement documents and staff said the city will seek to avoid further litigation costs associated with additional claims.
