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H.B. 139

             1     

PUBLIC ATTORNEYS ACT

             2     
1999 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Sponsor: Greg J. Curtis

             5      Susan J. Koehn




             6      AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AND LOCAL ATTORNEYS; OUTLINING THE DUTIES OF
             7      PUBLIC ATTORNEYS; CLARIFYING THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S ROLE; CLARIFYING
             8      THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP IN CIVIL AND CRIMINAL MATTERS; h [ AND] h
             9      MAKING TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS AND CONFORMING CHANGES h ; AND PROVIDING
             9a      AN EFFECTIVE DATE h .
             10      This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
             11      AMENDS:
             12          17-18-1, as last amended by Chapter 302, Laws of Utah 1995
             13          17-18-1.5, as last amended by Chapter 296, Laws of Utah 1997
             14          17-18-2, as last amended by Chapter 227, Laws of Utah 1993
             15          67-5-1, as last amended by Chapter 198, Laws of Utah 1996
             16      ENACTS:
             17          67-23-101, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             18          67-23-102, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             19          67-23-103, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             20          67-23-201, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             21          67-23-202, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             22      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             23          Section 1. Section 17-18-1 is amended to read:
             24           17-18-1. Powers -- Duties of county attorney -- Prohibitions.
             25          (1) (a) In each county which is not within a prosecution district, the county attorney is a
             26      public prosecutor and shall:
             27          [(a)] (i) conduct on behalf of the state all prosecutions for public offenses committed


             28      within the county, except for prosecutions undertaken by the city attorney under Section 10-3-928
             29      and appeals from them;
             30          [(b)] (ii) institute proceedings before the proper magistrate for the arrest of persons
             31      charged with or reasonably suspected of any public offense when in possession of information that
             32      the offense has been committed, and for that purpose shall attend court in person or by deputy in
             33      cases of arrests when required; and
             34          [(c)] (iii) when it does not conflict with other official duties, attend to all legal business
             35      required in the county by the attorney general without charge when the interests of the state are
             36      involved.
             37          (b) All the duties and powers of public prosecutor shall be assumed and discharged by the
             38      county attorney.
             39          (2) The county attorney:
             40          (a) shall appear and prosecute for the state in the district court of the county in all criminal
             41      prosecutions;
             42          (b) may, subject to Title 67, Chapter 23, Public Attorneys Act, appear and prosecute in all
             43      civil cases in which the state may be interested; and
             44          (c) shall render assistance as required by the attorney general in all cases that may be
             45      appealed to the Supreme Court and shall prosecute the appeal from any crime charged by the
             46      county attorney as a misdemeanor in the district court.
             47          (3) The county attorney shall:
             48          (a) attend the deliberations of the grand jury;
             49          (b) draw all indictments and informations for offenses against the laws of this state within
             50      the county;
             51          (c) cause all persons indicted or informed against to be speedily arraigned;
             52          (d) cause all witnesses for the state to be subpoenaed to appear before the court or grand
             53      jury;
             54          (e) examine carefully into the sufficiency of all appearance bonds that may be tendered to
             55      the district court of the county;
             56          (f) upon the order of the court, institute proceedings in the name of the state for recovery
             57      upon the forfeiture of any appearance or other bonds running to the state and enforce the collection
             58      of them; and


             59          (g) perform other duties as required by law.
             60          (4) The county attorney shall:
             61          (a) receive from the clerk of the district court a record of past-due fines, penalties, costs,
             62      and forfeitures and take action to collect the past-due amounts;
             63          (b) at the close of every term of the district court prepare a statement of all fines, penalties,
             64      and forfeitures accruing to the state that have been collected or received by any officer required
             65      to collect or receive them, stating each case and the amount, and shall transmit the list to the state
             66      auditor; and
             67          (c) proceed against any officer and sureties under this subsection for any neglect of duty.
             68          (5) The county attorney shall:
             69          (a) ascertain by all practicable means what estate or property within the county has
             70      escheated or reverted to the state;
             71          (b) require the assessor of taxes of the county to furnish annually a list of all real or
             72      personal property that may have so escheated or reverted; and
             73          (c) file a copy of the list in the office of the state auditor and of the attorney general.
             74          (6) The county attorney shall:
             75          (a) each year on the first business day of August file a report with the attorney general
             76      covering the preceding fiscal year, stating the number of criminal prosecutions in the district, the
             77      character of the offenses charged, the number of convictions, the amount of fines and penalties
             78      imposed, and the amount collected; and
             79          (b) call attention to any defect in the operation of the laws and suggest amendments to
             80      correct the defect.
             81          (7) The county attorney shall:
             82          (a) appear and prosecute for the state in the juvenile court of the county in any proceeding
             83      involving delinquency;
             84          (b) represent the state in any proceeding pending before the juvenile court if any rights to
             85      the custody of any juvenile are asserted by any third person; and
             86          (c) prosecute before the court any person charged with abuse, neglect, or contributing to
             87      the delinquency or dependency of a juvenile.
             88          (8) [The] Subject to the requirements of Title 67, Chapter 23, Public Attorneys Act, the
             89      county attorney shall:


             90          (a) defend all actions brought against the county;
             91          (b) prosecute all actions for the recovery of debts, fines, penalties, and forfeitures accruing
             92      to the county;
             93          (c) give, when required and without fee, an opinion in writing to county, district, and
             94      precinct officers on matters relating to the duties of their respective offices;
             95          (d) deliver receipts for money or property received in an official capacity and file
             96      duplicates with the county treasurer; and
             97          (e) on the first Monday of each month file with the auditor an account verified by oath of
             98      all money received in an official capacity during the preceding month, and at the same time pay
             99      it over to the county treasurer.
             100          (9) A county attorney may not:
             101          (a) in any manner consult, advise, counsel, or defend within this state any person charged
             102      with any crime, misdemeanor, or breach of any penal statute or ordinance;
             103          (b) be qualified to prosecute or dismiss in the name of the state any case in which the
             104      county attorney has previously acted as counsel for the accused on the pending charge; or
             105          (c) in any case compromise any cause or enter a nolle prosequi after the filing of an
             106      indictment or information without the consent of the court.
             107          (10) If at any time after investigation by the district judge involved, the judge finds and
             108      recommends that the county attorney in any county is unable to satisfactorily and adequately
             109      perform the duties in prosecuting a criminal case without additional legal assistance, the attorney
             110      general shall provide the additional assistance.
             111          Section 2. Section 17-18-1.5 is amended to read:
             112           17-18-1.5. Powers -- Duties of county attorney within a prosecution district --
             113      Prohibitions.
             114          (1) In each county which is within a state prosecution district, the county attorney is a
             115      public prosecutor only for the purpose of prosecuting violations of county ordinances or as
             116      otherwise provided by law and shall:
             117          (a) conduct on behalf of the county all prosecutions for violations of county ordinances
             118      committed within the county;
             119          (b) have authority to grant transactional immunity for violations of county ordinances
             120      committed within the county;


             121          (c) institute proceedings before the proper magistrate for the arrest of persons charged with
             122      or reasonably suspected of violations of county ordinances when in possession of information that
             123      the violation has been committed, and for that purpose shall attend court in person or by deputy
             124      in cases of arrests when required; and
             125          (d) when it does not conflict with other official duties, attend to all legal business required
             126      in the county by the attorney general without charge when the interests of the state are involved.
             127          (2) [The] Subject to Title 67, Chapter 23, Public Attorneys Act, the county attorney:
             128          (a) may appear and prosecute in all civil cases in which the state may be interested; and
             129          (b) shall render assistance as required by the attorney general in all civil cases that may be
             130      appealed to the Supreme Court and prosecute the appeal from any violation of a county ordinance.
             131          (3) The county attorney shall:
             132          (a) draw all informations for violations of a county ordinance;
             133          (b) cause all persons informed against to be speedily arraigned;
             134          (c) cause all witnesses for the county to be subpoenaed to appear before the court;
             135          (d) upon the order of the court, institute proceedings in the name of the county for recovery
             136      upon the forfeiture of any appearance or other bonds running to the county and enforce the
             137      collection of them; and
             138          (e) perform other duties as required by law.
             139          (4) The county attorney shall:
             140          (a) receive from the clerk of the district court a record of past-due fines, penalties, costs,
             141      and forfeitures and take action to collect the past due amounts;
             142          (b) at the close of every term of the district court prepare a statement of all fines, penalties,
             143      and forfeitures accruing to the state that have been collected or received by any officer required
             144      to collect or receive them, stating each case and the amount, and shall transmit the list to the state
             145      auditor; and
             146          (c) proceed against any officer and sureties under this subsection for any neglect of duty.
             147          (5) The county attorney shall:
             148          (a) ascertain by all practicable means what estate or property within the county has
             149      escheated or reverted to the state;
             150          (b) require the assessor of taxes of the county to furnish annually a list of all real or
             151      personal property that may have so escheated or reverted; and


             152          (c) file a copy of the list in the office of the state auditor and of the attorney general.
             153          (6) [The] Subject to Title 67, Chapter 23, Public Attorney's Act, the county attorney shall:
             154          (a) defend all actions brought against the county;
             155          (b) prosecute all actions for the recovery of debts, fines, penalties, and forfeitures accruing
             156      to the county;
             157          (c) give, when required and without fee, an opinion in writing to county, district, precinct,
             158      and prosecution district officers on matters relating to the duties of their respective offices;
             159          (d) deliver receipts for money or property received in an official capacity and file
             160      duplicates with the county treasurer; and
             161          (e) on the first Monday of each month file with the auditor an account verified by oath of
             162      all money received in an official capacity during the preceding month, and at the same time pay
             163      it over to the county treasurer.
             164          (7) A county attorney may not:
             165          (a) in any manner consult, advise, counsel, or defend within this state any person charged
             166      with any crime, misdemeanor, or breach of any penal statute or ordinance;
             167          (b) be qualified to prosecute or dismiss in the name of the county any case in which the
             168      county attorney has previously acted as counsel for the accused on the pending charge; or
             169          (c) in any case compromise any cause or enter a nolle prosequi after the filing of an
             170      information without the consent of the court.
             171          (8) The county attorney or his deputy may be sworn as a deputy district attorney for the
             172      purpose of public convenience for a period of time and subject to limitations specified by the
             173      district attorney.
             174          Section 3. Section 17-18-2 is amended to read:
             175           17-18-2. Legal adviser to commissioners.
             176          (1) The county attorney is the legal adviser of the county[. He must] as provided in Title
             177      67, Chapter 23, Public Attorneys Act.
             178          (2) The county attorney shall attend meetings of the county legislative body when
             179      required[, and must oppose all claims and accounts against the county when he deems them unjust
             180      or illegal].
             181          Section 4. Section 67-5-1 is amended to read:
             182           67-5-1. General duties.


             183          The attorney general shall, subject to Title 67, Chapter 23, Public Attorneys Act:
             184          (1) except as provided in Sections 10-3-928 and 17-18-1 , attend the Supreme Court and
             185      the Court of Appeals of this state, and all courts of the United States, and, as attorney, prosecute
             186      or defend all causes to which the state, or any officer, board, or commission of the state in an
             187      official capacity is a party; and [take charge], as attorney, [of] represent the state in all civil legal
             188      matters in which the state is interested;
             189          (2) [when jointly agreed by the governor and the attorney general] with approval of the
             190      client:
             191          (a) initiate legal proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction on behalf of the state, or
             192      any officer, board, commission, agency, or instrumentality of the state for the purpose of opposing
             193      or challenging federal laws, regulations, or court orders and their impact on or applicability to the
             194      state; and
             195          (b) as the budget permits, retain outside legal counsel with appropriate expertise to
             196      represent the state in the legal proceedings;
             197          (3) after judgment on any cause referred to in Subsection (1), direct, with approval of the
             198      client, the issuance of process as necessary to execute the judgment;
             199          (4) account for, and pay over to the proper officer, all moneys [which] that come into [his]
             200      the attorney general's possession[,] that belong to the state;
             201          (5) keep a file of all cases in which [he] the attorney general is required to appear,
             202      including any documents and papers showing the court in which the cases have been instituted and
             203      tried, and whether they are civil or criminal, and:
             204          (a) if civil, the nature of the demand, the stage of proceedings, and when prosecuted to
             205      judgment, a memorandum of the judgment and of any process issued whether satisfied, and if not
             206      satisfied, the return of the sheriff;
             207          (b) if criminal, the nature of the crime, the mode of prosecution, the stage of proceedings,
             208      and when prosecuted to sentence, a memorandum of the sentence and of the execution, if the
             209      sentence has been executed, if not executed, of the reason of the delay or prevention; and
             210          (c) deliver this information to [his] the attorney general's successor in office;
             211          (6) exercise supervisory powers over the district and county attorneys of the state in all
             212      matters pertaining to the duties of their offices, and from time to time require of them reports of
             213      the condition of public business entrusted to their charge;


             214          (7) give [his] the attorney general's opinion in writing and without fee to the Legislature
             215      or either house, and to any state officer, board, or commission, and to any county attorney or
             216      district attorney, when required, upon any question of law relating to their respective offices;
             217          (8) when required by the public service or directed by the governor, assist any district or
             218      county attorney in the discharge of his duties;
             219          (9) purchase in the name of the state, under the direction of the state Board of Examiners,
             220      any property offered for sale under execution issued upon judgments in favor of or for the use of
             221      the state, and enter satisfaction in whole or in part of the judgments as the consideration of the
             222      purchases;
             223          (10) when the property of a judgment debtor in any judgment mentioned in Subsection (9)
             224      has been sold under a prior judgment, or is subject to any judgment, lien, or encumbrance taking
             225      precedence of the judgment in favor of the state, redeem the property, under the direction of the
             226      state Board of Examiners, from the prior judgment, lien, or encumbrance, and pay all money
             227      necessary for the redemption, upon the order of the state Board of Examiners, out of any money
             228      appropriated for these purposes;
             229          (11) when in his opinion it is necessary for the collection or enforcement of any judgment,
             230      institute and prosecute on behalf of the state any action or proceeding necessary to set aside and
             231      annul all conveyances fraudulently made by the judgment debtors, and pay the cost necessary to
             232      the prosecution, when allowed by the state Board of Examiners, out of any money not otherwise
             233      appropriated;
             234          (12) discharge the duties of a member of all official boards of which [he] the attorney
             235      general is or may be made a member by the Utah Constitution or by the laws of the state, and other
             236      duties prescribed by law;
             237          (13) institute and prosecute proper proceedings in any court of the state or of the United
             238      States, to restrain and enjoin corporations organized under the laws of this or any other state or
             239      territory from acting illegally or in excess of their corporate powers or contrary to public policy,
             240      and in proper cases forfeit their corporate franchises, dissolve the corporations, and wind up their
             241      affairs;
             242          (14) institute investigations for the recovery of all real or personal property that may have
             243      escheated or should escheat to the state, and for that purpose [he may cite], subpoena any persons
             244      before any of the district courts to answer inquiries and render accounts concerning any property,


             245      [may] examine all books and papers of any corporations, and when any real or personal property
             246      is discovered that should escheat to the state, [the attorney general shall] institute suit in the district
             247      court of the county where the property is situated for its recovery, and escheat that property to the
             248      state;
             249          (15) administer the Children's Justice Center as a program to be implemented in various
             250      counties pursuant to Sections 67-5b-101 through 67-5b-107 ; and
             251          (16) assist the Constitutional Defense Council as provided in Section 63C-4-102 .
             252          Section 5. Section 67-23-101 is enacted to read:
             253     
CHAPTER 23. PUBLIC ATTORNEYS ACT

             254     
Part 1. General Provisions

             255          67-23-101. Title.
             256          This chapter is known as the "Public Attorneys Act."
             257          Section 6. Section 67-23-102 is enacted to read:
             258          67-23-102. Definitions.
             259          As used in this chapter:
             260          (1) (a) "Civil function" means a public attorney's responsibility to advise the client about
             261      legal matters, to represent the client when the client is a party in a civil proceeding, and to
             262      negotiate disputes, whether the subject of a civil proceeding or not, under the direction of the
             263      client.
             264          (b) "Civil function" includes decisions about whether or not to file an amicus brief and
             265      decisions about the settlement, including the disposition of settlement proceeds.
             266          (c) "Civil function" does not include prosecutorial functions.
             267          (2) (a) "Civil proceeding" means noncriminal judicial or administrative adjudications.
             268          (b) "Civil proceeding" includes arbitration and mediation.
             269          (3) h (a) h "Prosecutorial function" means a public attorney's responsibility to investigate
             269a      and
             270      prosecute h [ crimes ] VIOLATIONS OF CRIMINAL STATUTE S h in the name of the government and
             270a      the following matters of civil law incident to
             271      that responsibility:
             272           h [ (a) ] (i) h bail bond forfeiture actions;
             273           h [ (b) ] (ii) h actions for the forfeiture of property or contraband because of misuse of the
             273a      property
             274      or possession of the contraband in violation of criminal statutes of the state; and
             275           h [ (c) ] (iii) h civil actions incidental to or appropriate to supplement the public
             275a      attorney's duties such


             276      as injunction, habeas corpus, declaratory actions, and extraordinary writ actions, in which the
             277      interests of the state or government entity in any criminal prosecution or investigation may be
             278      affected.
             278a           h (b) "PROSECUTORIAL FUNCTION" INCLUDES:
             278b          (i) DELINQUENCY ADJUDICATIONS AND ADJUDICATION OF STATUS OFFENSES,
             278c      INCLUDING TRUANCY, CURFEW, ALCOHOL, AND SMOKING, BROUGHT IN JUVENILE COURT; AND
             278d          (ii) THE POWERS GRANTED BY TITLE 77, CHAPTER 6, REMOVAL BY JUDICIAL
             278e      PROCEEDINGS. h
             279          (4) "Public attorney" means:
             280          (a) the attorney general;
             281          (b) each county and district attorney; and
             282          (c) attorneys employed, supervised, or controlled by the attorney general, county attorney,
             283      or district attorney.
             284          Section 7. Section 67-23-103 is enacted to read:
             285          67-23-103. Scope of chapter.
             286          (1) This chapter is intended to deal specifically with the attorney-client relationship when
             287      the client of the public attorney is a government entity.
             288          (2) Nothing in this chapter is intended to interfere with any attorney-client relationships
             289      that may exist between:
             290          (a) a public attorney and a public officer;
             291          (b) a public attorney and a county legislative body; or
             292          (c) a public attorney and a public officer or employee when the public officer or employee
             293      is sued in the officer's or employee's individual capacity and the public attorney represents the
             294      public officer or employee.
             294a           h (3) NOTHING IN THIS CHAPTER MODIFIES OR SUPERSEDES ANY INDEPENDENT LEGAL
             294b      AUTHORITY GRANTED SPECIFICALLY BY STATUTE TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OR TO A
             294c      COUNTY OR DISTRICT ATTORNEY. h
             295          Section 8. Section 67-23-201 is enacted to read:
             296     
Part 2. Public Attorney Responsibilities

             297          67-23-201. Public Attorneys -- Clients -- Responsibilities to clients.
             298          (1) (a) When performing civil functions, the client of the public attorney is, unless another
             299      statute specifically directs that another person or entity is the client:
             300          (i) the state, as represented by the governor or the governor's designee, when the public


             301      attorney is the attorney general, an attorney employed, supervised, or controlled by the attorney
             302      general;
             303          (ii) the county, as represented by:
             304          (A) the county commission or its designee, when the public attorney is a county attorney,
             305      district attorney, or an attorney employed, supervised, or controlled by the county or district
             306      attorney in a county operating under the county commission form of county government;


             307          (B) the county executive or the county executive's designee for general county matters
             308      falling under the county executive's responsibility and by the county legislative body for general
             309      county matters falling under the county legislative body's responsibility, when the public attorney
             310      is a county attorney, district attorney, or an attorney employed, supervised, or controlled by a
             311      county or district attorney in a county operating under the county executive-council form of county
             312      government or the county executive and chief administrative officer-council form of government;
             313      or
             314          (C) the county council or its designee, when the public attorney is a county attorney,
             315      district attorney, or an attorney employed, supervised, or controlled by the county or district
             316      attorney in any other alternative form of county government.
             317          (b) As authorized by Rule 1.13(f) of the Rules of Professional Conduct, this section
             318      specifically meets the requirements of that rule by affirmatively designating the specific individual
             319      or group of individuals vested with the authority to make legal decisions on behalf of a government
             320      entity that is the client of a public attorney.
             321          (c) Unless otherwise prohibited by law, the person or entity representing the client may:
             322          (i) establish the type and scope of matters about which the public attorney should inform
             323      the representative; and
             324          (ii) affirmatively and specifically delegate certain responsibilities and decisions to the
             325      public attorney.
             326          (2) When exercising a prosecutorial function, the client of the public attorney is:
             327          (a) the state, as represented by the attorney general, the district attorney, or the county
             328      attorney if there is no district attorney, brought in the name of the state; or
             329          (b) the county, as represented by the district attorney or county attorney, for matters
             330      brought in the name of the county.
             331          Section 9. Section 67-23-202 is enacted to read:
             332          67-23-202. Public Attorneys -- Responsibilities under Code of Professional
             333      Responsibility.
             334          Except as provided in Subsection 67-23-201 (1)(c), nothing in this chapter supersedes the
             335      responsibilities of a public attorney under the Rules of Professional Conduct for attorneys adopted
             336      by the Utah Supreme Court.
             336a           h Section 10. Effective Date.
             336b          THIS ACT TAKES EFFECT ON JANUARY 1, 2001 . h





Legislative Review Note
    as of 2-15-99 10:43 AM


A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

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