posted February 14, 2002
Hamilton County government plans to set up a special fund for handling donations to pay legal costs of its lawsuit involving the Ten Commandments.
County Attorney Rheubin Taylor said the Decosimo accounting firm has agreed to administer the fund and make disbursements from it.
He said his office has been in touch with private attorneys who handle Ten Commandments cases and may make arrangements soon to get their help on this case.
He said Chattanooga attorney Wayne Peters will help in the case.
The ACLU and a group of local citizens filed suit in Federal Court after the County Commission posted the Ten Commandments at the County Courthouse, the City-County Courts Building and Juvenile Court.
Attorney Taylor said some attorneys have offered to help with the case at no fee.
He said it was not expected that the county would have to come up with any legal expenses in the lawsuit. But Commissioner JoAnne Favors noted that Mr. Taylor will be overseeing the case and his staff working on it. She said he and the staff were paid by taxpayers.
Mr. Taylor agreed he will keep up how many hours he and staff members spend on the Ten Commandments case.
He said he, county staff attorney Marty Lasley and County Commission Chairman Bill Hullander traveled to Marietta recently to talk with attorneys with experience in such cases.
Commissioner Richard Casavant, who earlier voted against posting the Commandments, asked what the cost might be if the case goes all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, as Attorney Taylor indicated it might.
Mr. Taylor said he had "no idea." Commissioner Casavant asked if it could be in six figures. Attorney Taylor said it could. Commissioner Casavant asked if it could be seven figures. Mr. Taylor said, "There have been cases that have reached that figure."
Mr. Hullander said a number of citizens and groups have volunteered to help cover the legal expenses.
Commissioner Favors said some citizens were upset there was not a vote of the people before it was decided to post the Ten Commandments. She said there could be other lawsuits arise out of the issue.
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