Meeting lasted over an hour with defense lawyers (there are ten listed) apparently on telephones; not in person
Six years of litigation; ten lawyers listed for defendants.
The Yavapai Community College Governing Board met for over an hour on July 16 at the Rock House on the Prescott Campus July 16 to discuss and possibly vote to settle a six-year lawsuit involving millions of dollars in claims by Dan Hamilton, the former director of aviation programs at the College. The defense lawyers in the case apparently contacted the Board via telephone during the meeting.
Following the meeting, the College made no announcement about whether any progress was made toward settling the dispute or finally taking the case to a jury in federal court. Recall that the ten lawyers for the College and other defendants met July 11 in Flagstaff for a settlement conference. Any settlement had to be approved by the College.
The lawyers for the College and related defendants have been on this case for almost six years and the fees billed to the College for it and its employees who are defendants are apparently being paid from a litigation trust fund of some sort set up by the County. It has never been made clear to the public exactly who and how payment for the lawyers will be carried out. Also, no one will disclose the amount of fees that has been paid out so far to the defense lawyers by the College.
The dispute is, of course, a gravy train for the defendants’ lawyers because in theory they can continue to receive hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars while bringing motions, holding meetings, etc., without settling or taking the matter to trial. Think of it; six years of attorney fees so far.