Does the County Counsel give legal advice to members of the public?

No. The County Counsel, by statute, is the lawyer for the Board of Supervisors, elected and appointed departmental officials, and the County employees in their official capacity of County government. The County Counsel may not give legal advice to members of the public.  (If you need legal advice you may contact Legal Services of Northern California at (707) 462-9483.)

I have suffered personal injury or property damage, which I believe was caused by the County or one of its employees. How do I go about collecting for my damages?

The process of collecting damages from the County is started by filing a claim with the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, located at 501 Low Gap Road, Room 1010 Ukiah, CA 95482.

The law governing claims against the public entities is complex and has short deadlines. You may need to seek the services of an attorney for your own protection. In any event, you should present your claim without delay. For additional information, please refer to Government Code Section 910.

Can I serve a lawsuit against the County by serving the County Counsel?

No. Service of process on the County may only be accomplished by serving the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, whose office is located at: 501 Low Gap Road, Room 1010 Ukiah, CA 95482.

Can I speak with the County Counsel, Charlotte E. Scott, as her name is listed at the top of the paperwork I received?

No. Charlotte E. Scott is the County Counsel and her name appears on all documents filed by anyone within the office. The person most familiar with your case is usually the person who signed the document. That person's name appears beneath Ms. Scott's name at the top of the document, and beneath the signature itself. If you believe you must speak with someone regarding your matter, that is the person you should speak with first.