By RICHARD NEBELLos Alamos
We’ve heard a lot lately about what’s legal and what isn’t with respect to the Sheriff’s office. We’ve heard from a paralegal, some attorney’s, and the Sheriff himself what they think the law is.
There is a simple (and free) way to resolve this without filing lawsuits. Any public official (like the Sheriff) or governmental entity (like the county) can request an opinion from the Attorney General. While these opinions are not legally binding, they are admissible in a court of law and the Attorney General will go to court to defend these opinions.
Opinions are the “bread and butter” work of the Attorney General’s office. They do this kind of work all of the time and their reputation is based on getting it right. You can expect to get a fair and impartial response from them. At the very least, if the county wants to consider changing the county charter they should consult with the AG.
