Review Sought of Legal Services Costs

Ventura County Chief Administrative Officer Lin Koester is requesting that the county hire a consultant to review why its contract with a legal services firm has run 42% over budget.

The county pays $1.3 million a year to Ventura-based Conflict Defense Associates to provide legal services for indigents. During the past year, however, the firm has reported overcharges of approximately $570,000.

On Tuesday, Koester will ask the Board of Supervisors for $25,000 to hire a private consultant to review the charges and to explore alternatives for better controlling costs.

“When you’re 40% over budget, it’s a little alarming,” said Kathy McCann, a county management analyst.

But McCann stressed that the charges may be justified, noting that new state laws have increased the number of jury trials in recent years.

The attorneys are hired to supplement work done by the public defender’s office.

“There are a lot of reasons that the numbers may have climbed,” she said. “It may be that the consultant will end up coming back to us and saying that we need to increase our contract amount.”