Denton 360 - City Attorney 2021City Attorney’s Office
Catherine Clifton –Interim City Attorney
Our Office:
•18 full-time employee (FTE)positions:
•12 attorneys and
•6 legal support staff
•2020/21 fiscal year budget:$3.2 million
•Service department whose primary function is to provide legal advice
and assistance for the City Council and the City’s day-to-day operations.
•drafting contracts,ordinances,resolutions and agreements
•handling of issues involving planning,zoning,building inspections,real
property transactions,procurement,economic development transactions,
public utilities,employment law,environmental regulations
•open meetings laws,access to public records,conflicts of interest,
authority matters,public safety,the United States and Texas
constitutions,civil service
•code enforcement,franchise issues,aviation matters,gas wells,and day-
to-day advice on the business of the City.
Our Work:
•17,289 Class “C”misdemeanor violations in 2020
•504 Attorney General opinions related to information requests
in 2020
•2021 to date –597 ordinances and 168 resolutions that were
ultimately approved by City Council.
•Most civil litigation matters are handled in-house
Office Facts:
Items of Interest
•Attorney/Client privilege –duty of confidentiality
•Emergency Declarations /Orders
•ERCOT Litigation
Questions?