Board OKs Study on Legal Firm’s Charges
Ventura County supervisors agreed Tuesday to spend $25,000 to study why a legal services firm that the county contracts with is 42% over its budget.
The county has an agreement to pay $1.3 million annually to Ventura-based Conflict Defense Associates to provide legal services for indigents. During the past year, however, the firm has reported overcharges of about $570,000.
Chief Administrative Officer Lin Koester requested that the supervisors hire a private consultant to evaluate the charges and explore other, possibly less costly, legal service options.
Conflict Defense Associates has contracted with the county to assist the public defender’s office in handling indigent cases for 16 years.
Still, the board agreed that the firm’s cost overruns were significant and voted 4 to 0 to conduct a study of the charges.
Supervisor Susan K. Lacey abstained from the vote because her husband, lawyer Ed Lacey, works for Conflict Defense Associates.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
