HomeMy WebLinkAboutBack-Up from Law DeptSec. 21. - Department of law.
The city attorney shall be the director of the department of law and an attorney -at -law admitted to the
practice in the State of Florida. The city attorney shall be the legal advisor of and attorney and counsel for
the city, and for all officers and departments thereof in matters relating to their official duties. The city
attorney shall prosecute and defend all suits for and in behalf of the city, and shall prepare all contracts,
bonds and instruments in writing in which the city is concerned and shall endorse on each approval of the
form and correctness thereof.
The city attorney shall be the prosecuting attorney of the municipal court. The city attorney shall have
such number of assistants as the city commission by ordinance may authorize. The city attorney shall
prosecute all cases brought before such court and perform the same duties, so far as they are applicable
thereto, as are required of the prosecuting attorney of the county.
When required to do so by the resolution of the city commission, the city attorney shall prosecute or
defend for and in behalf of the city all complaints, suits and controversies in which the city is a party, and
such other suits, matters and controversies as he shall, by resolution or ordinance, be directed to prosecute
or defend.
The mayor, city commission, the city manager, the director of any department, or any officer or board
not included within a department, may require the opinion of the city attorney upon any question of law
involving their respective powers and duties.
The city attorney shall be a full-time governmental employee; shall not engage in the private practice of
law; and upon his or her election by the city commission shall serve until the time for the election of the city
officials specified in section 4 of the Charter which follows the next general municipal election.
(Char. Amend. No. 1, 11-6-73; Res. No. 97-447, § 2, 7-3-97; Res. No. 01-843, § 2, 8-9-01)