About the City Attorney's Office

Welcome

The City Attorney's Office is committed to providing the City of Great Falls with professional and quality legal advice to help protect the health, safety, welfare and civil rights of all. This information is intended to help the City Attorney's Office be more open and accessible to the people it serves and to increase the public's understanding of its work. The City Attorney's Office staff consists of the City Attorney, Deputy City Attorney, Chief Prosecutor, Deputy Prosecutor, Prosecutor, Paralegal, Administrative Assistant, Legal Secretary, and Office Specialist.

Personal legal matters for private citizens may not be handled by the City Attorney's Office, however the attorneys may be called on by City staff to answer legal questions relating to City ordinances or other laws.

The Legal Services Department is divided into two major sections:

Civil Division

The Civil Division represents the City in lawsuits and advises City officials and staff as they develop agreements, programs, projects, policies, and legislation. The Civil Division advises the City involving torts (claims), land use, environment, labor and employment, contracts, utilities, and other municipal issues.

The Civil Division of the Great Falls City Attorney's Office provides legal counsel and representation to the City's elected and appointed officials. It serves the public interest by providing these clients with high quality legal advice and representation that they need to best achieve their policies and goals.

The Division provides legal counsel and representation in litigation at all levels of state and federal courts and administrative agencies.

Practice areas include the following:  Contracts, Employment, Environmental, Government Affairs, Land Use and Torts, and other areas of municipal law.

Criminal Division

The Criminal Division provides high quality representation of the City of Great Falls, prosecuting traffic infractions, misdemeanors, and gross misdemeanors in the Great Falls Municipal Court, the State District Court and Montana Supreme Court. The types of cases prosecuted by the Criminal Division include driving under the influence, traffic infractions, misdemeanor domestic violence, misdemeanor theft, and trespassing. The Criminal Division handles approximately 10,000 citations per year.