12 - Hiring of Prosecutor for Municipal CourtItem No. 12
memorandum
TO: Mayor & City Council
Grayson Path, City Manager
FROM: Stephanie H. Harris, City Attorney
SUBJECT: HIRING OF PROSECUTOR FOR MUNICIPAL COURT
DATE: July 13, 2020
BACKGROUND: On June 28, 2016, Council authorized me to hire a contract prosecutor in lieu
of filling the position of Assistant City Attorney that I vacated when Council appointed me to the
position of Interim City Attorney in January 11, 2016. Local attorney Chris Fitzgerald performed
those duties from August, 2017 through the end of June, 2020. I have reached an agreement with
local attorney Erin Barbee Lewis to undertake these limited prosecutorial duties effective upon
approval by the council. Ms. Lewis is a Paris native, and has recently moved back to Paris from
the Dallas area with her family and is starting a solo practice. I am attaching a copy of Ms. Lewis'
resume for your reference. I believe she is amply qualified for the duties of contract prosecutor.
STATUS OF ISSUE: Section 28 of the City Charter allows the city attorney to appoint an assistant
city attorney, if deemed necessary, subject to the approval of the City Council. While I do not
believe that a contract prosecutor is an "assistant city attorney" within the meaning of this Charter
provision, in an abundance of caution I am presenting this hire for Council approval.
BUDGET: This proposed hire is budget neutral. Funds have already been budgeted for a contract
prosecutor through the end of this fiscal year, and, pending Council's final approval, for fiscal year
2017-2018. A rate of $80.00/hour falls within these budgeted amounts and is well below the local
hourly rate for legal services. Remember as well the substantial savings in hiring a contract
prosecutor over having a full-time Assistant City Attorney.
RECOMMENDATION: Approve hiring by city attorney of contract municipal court prosecutor.
1133 Reese Way o Lantana, TX 79124 ® Phone: (903) 905-9440 • E -Mail: eebarbae26rggrnail.com
Lloyd & Associates, PLLC January 2018 -Present
• Associate attorney
Private Family Law matters, including contested divorce, child custody modifications, and adoptions
Attorney on the CPS Appointment List in Denton County
Worked with Senior attorneys on their CPS cases
Lloyd & DuPuy, PLLC July 2017 -December 2017
= Associate attorney
• Private Family Law matters, including contested divorce, child custody modifications, and adoptions
• Worked with Senior attorneys on their CPS cases
• Drafted motions for summary judgment and conducted depositions for civil and personal injury matters
Erin Barbee Law December 2016 -present
Solo attorney
Took Appointments for CPS cases in Potter, Randall, Deaf Smith, Gray, Motley, Floyd, Parmer, Bailey, Lipscomb, Parmer,
Dallam, and Hartley Counties
Represented Parents and Children in these matters
Tried numerous CPS termination bench trials in these counties
Participated in CPS mediations with my clients
Lloyd & DuPuy, PLLC November 2015 -December 2016
Associate attorney
Private Family Law matters, including contested divorce, child custody modifications, and adoptions
Worked with Senior attorneys on their CPS cases
Drafted motions for summary judgment and conducted depositions for civil and personal injury matters
Erin E. Barbee, Attorney At Law May 26, 2015 -November 2015
• Associate attorney
« I take county appointments for misdemeanor criminal cases, CPS cases, and mental commitments.
• I also do estate planning and business entity planning for clients as needed
• Represented the mother in a parental rights termination jury trial in Red. River County, Texas
The Law Offices of Sydney Young September 2014 -May 2015
• Associate attorney and research assistant
• I worked mainly as an estate planning attorney and research assistant in the office.
The law office was located within a title company so I also assisted with some document preparation in connection with title work
such as Alfa.davits of Ilei.rship.
Paris Independent School District August 2007 -May 2008, August 2009 -August 2011
Teacher for Spanish 1 Pre -AP, 51 grade Engl.isb;Lan.guage Arts, 511 grade Virtual Science Lab
Planned and presented lessons based on the state required curriculum.
Member of District -wide Calendar Committee
Sponsor for Spanish Club and Book Club
s � �
Oklahoma City University School of Law August 2011 -May 2014
0 Certificate in Estate Planning n Merit Scholars
Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity
0 American Indian Wills Clinic
Texas Woman's University August 2003 -August 2005
a Major in Mass Communications, Minor in Government
Soheyla Dixon
944 Lake Grove Drive
Little Elm, Texas 75068
(940)206-8726
The Honorable 'Bili Harris
119 North Main Street
Paris, Texas 75460
(903)782-1104
The Honorable Carrie Baker
District Courts Building
501 South Fillmore, Suite 2B
Amarillo, Texas 79101