City Attorney

Overview 

The City Attorney is the chief legal adviser for the Mayor, City Council, and all City departments.

Personal legal matters for private citizens of Billings may not be handled by the City Attorney's Office. 

Responsibilities

The City Attorney and staff are responsible for:

• Preparing and reviewing ordinances, resolutions, and contracts
• Preparing requests for legal opinions from the attorney general of the State of Montana
• Prosecuting all misdemeanor criminal charges that occur within the Billings City limits
• Providing legal advice to City departments to assure compliance with state and federal law
• Supervising all civil litigation for the City at the trial and appellate levels

Staff

The City Attorney’s Office staff consists of:

• City Attorney 
• Assistant City Attorney
• Deputy City Attorneys
• Victim-Witness Specialists
• Paralegal
• Legal Assistants

The City Attorney, the Assistant City Attorney, and two Deputy City Attorneys handle the City’s civil matters. Five Deputy City Attorneys, including two Deputy City Attorneys exclusively handling domestic violence matters, prosecute misdemeanor cases that are filed in Billings Municipal Court.