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Department Sections

• Administration
• Litigation
• Transactional/Advisory
• Neighborhood Safety and Nuisance Abatement

Administration

The Administration Section develops and implements office policies and procedures, monitors overall office performance, prepares and administers the office budget, handles all personnel hiring and other personnel matters, assembles and analyzes office productivity data, including production of an annual report, and engages in long-range planning. The administration and general support functions of the office are performed under the direction of the City Attorney. The structure of the office includes two Assistant City Attorneys, one of whom monitors the performances of the Litigation and Neighborhood Safety & Nuisance Abatement Sections while the other monitors the performance of the Transactional/Advisory Section; four Supervising Deputy City Attorneys who oversee the three operating sections of the office; an Office Administrator who supervises support staff; and a Special Assistant who provides direct administrative support to the City Attorney. (See the City Attorney's current organizational chart.)

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Litigation

The Litigation Section is responsible for handling all civil litigation for the City of Sacramento and its employees. Attorneys in the Litigation Section handle lawsuits where the City or staff is the plaintiff or defendant, in matters that encompass the entire spectrum of municipal law.

Typical cases handled by the Litigation Section include:

• torts
• civil rights
• eminent domain
• environmental
• real estate
• employment and labor
• administrative hearings
• writs
• discipline appeals
• retirement appeals
• subrogation

In addition, the Litigation Section provides pre-litigation and risk management advice to City departments on an as-needed basis.

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Transactional/Advisory

The Transactional/Advisory Section provides counsel day-to-day strategic support to the City's policymaking function by responding to requests for legal advice from the City Council, the Charter Officers, and the City departments and divisions. It also consists of a diverse group whose responsibilities encompasses various special projects. The support and types of assignments include:

• drafting and reviewing ordinances and other legislation
• preparation and review of contractual documents
• providing legal representation and advice at meetings of the Council and City boards and commissions
• educating City staff in relevant areas of the law, and keeping the Council and City staff informed on recent changes or developments in the law

• debt financing
• intellectual property
• elections
• campaign finance
• collections

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Neighborhood Safety and Nuisance Abatement

The Neighborhood Safety and Nuisance Abatement (SA) is responsible for the handling of all City Code enforcement issues, including training and advising staff on enforcement matters, and prosecuting violations through administrative, civil or criminal actions.

Administrative Actions: The City of Sacramento has a variety of administrative remedies which have been enacted by the City Council and provide enforcement staff with additional tools for enforcement. SA assists in all phases of these administrative remedies, such as:

• Inspection Warrants
• Advise staff on Notice and Orders, Abatements, Securements and Demolitions
• Representing City at Administrative Hearings for Notice and Orders, Administrative Penalties and Assessment hearings as required

Civil Actions: The SA section files all City oppositions to demands for peace officer personnel records and files petitions for destruction of firearms. The City Attorney is authorized to bring civil lawsuits on behalf of the People against person(s) who maintain public nuisances in the City to seek court orders and other relief necessary to abate the nuisances, such as:

• Public Nuisance actions against offenders
• Injunctive relief
• Drug Abatement actions
• Gang abatements
• Receiverships
• Illegal businesses

Criminal Prosecution: In 2001, the City Attorney began criminally prosecuting those defendants who are violating a Sacramento City Code, including such offenses as:

• Illegal Dumping
• Substandard and Dangerous Housing violations
• Unlawful Camping

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