The County Attorney, and his supporting staff, is the sole legal advisor for the County and all its units except the Legislature.  The County Attorney’s Office prosecutes and defends all civil actions and proceedings for or against the County.

The County Attorney’s Office either directs or actively participates in the following legal related activities:

The County Attorney’s Office has involvement in many significant projects including:  the creation of Zones of Assessment for the Dutchess County Water District in cooperation with the Water and Wastewater Authority, the County Self-insured Program, the Community Development Block Grant Program, the acquisition of open space rights throughout the County, and serves as negotiator for bargaining unit agreements.

The County Attorney’s Office also handles the following types of matters: prosecution of juvenile delinquents and Persons In Need of Supervision in Family Court, eminent domain proceedings, highway/right-of-way takings, real property tax enforcement actions, tax refunds, Health Department legal proceedings, and the Federal Urban County Program, as well as miscellaneous litigation challenging bid awards on county projects and challenges to the In Rem tax enforcement action.