Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Legal Litigation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County attorney: deposition expected soon in civil suit tied to former sheriff
Summary
The county attorney told commissioners he expects depositions in the civil lawsuit brought by Dwayne Michaels, including his own deposition both individually and on behalf of the county; County Litigation Group will represent the county side.
Daniels County’s attorney briefed the commission on civil litigation that names the county and a former sheriff, saying depositions will be scheduled in the coming weeks.
The county attorney (speaker 6) said Dwayne Michaels sued the county over matters that stem from events involving former Sheriff Duane Anderson. The attorney told commissioners he will likely be deposed both as an individual and as the county attorney, and he said County Litigation Group is handling the county’s representation.
Why it matters: the lawsuit is a civil claim against the county and an elected official and could carry financial or operational consequences depending on its outcome. The county attorney described the case as different from a typical criminal prosecution because the county is on the receiving end of the suit.
The county attorney said other pending cases exist in his docket, but this matter is distinct because "we are the ones being sued rather than me pursuing criminal charges against somebody." He also said he had asked that commissioners not be the witnesses to answer certain county‑government questions and that the County Litigation Group will coordinate the deposition process.
No motions or votes were taken on the litigation update; commissioners asked the county attorney to keep them informed as scheduling and discovery proceed.
