GOALS & OBJECTIVES

Goal 1: The County Attorney is committed to providing high quality, cost-effective legal services to our clients in all legal matters.

In order to provide services in a cost effective and efficient manner, cases are screened to determine worthwhile litigation. Once a case is selected for prosecution, an attempt is made to finalize it within 12 months or less. In plaintiff's litigation, the goal is to request and receive judgments in favor of our clients consistent with the mandates of state law. In defense litigation, the County Attorney's office seeks to minimize the amount of claims paid by the County.

Goal 2: The County Attorney requires that all legal services are provided in an ethical, professional and competent manner.

To accomplish this goal, all attorneys are provided with at least the minimum amount of continuing legal education required by the State Bar of Texas. In addition, seminars on ethics and proper conduct are conducted on a regular basis for attorneys and staff. An emphasis for staff is placed upon professional interaction with members of the public and other employees of the County. Every effort is made to maintain a high level of performance for all employees through training and technological adequacy. In all instances, the office seeks to treat all people with dignity, respect, honesty and fairness.

Goal 3: Outside of the office, the County attorney seeks to provide legal training to County, State and Federal departments and citizen groups whose employees or members are providing public services in El Paso.

Every effort is made to maximize the number of public servants receiving training so that they will properly perform their governmental duties.

Goal 4: The County Attorney emphasizes participating in community activities, boards, and groups in order to promote the general welfare of this community and in order to increase public awareness and education with respect to laws, public issues and available services.

Every unit of the County Attorney's Office is required to participate in community activities and must identify and work on areas of concern for the community. Attorneys participate in activities which relate directly to their area of law such as environmental fairs, teen courts for juvenile crimes, training of law enforcement officers, seminars on family violence prevention and child protective services. All attorneys are encouraged to develop and work on special community projects such as health care issues, environmental and colonia issues, access to capital, consumer fraud, inadequate juvenile and mental health facilities and education issues.

Goal 5: The office of the County Attorney provides legal services related to families in a broad range of areas.

These areas include mental health, adult protective services, child protective services, juvenile and family violence which support the most vulnerable citizens of the county of El Paso.