Writ could run county at least $8,500
Jay Paul
The writ of mandamus filed against the Oglethorpe County Board of Commissioners in May cost the county $8,274.40 in legal fees, but county officials are unsure how much it incurred in court fees.
The $8,274.40 was paid to county attorney Chip Ferguson, BOC Chairman Jay Paul said, but neither he nor Clerk of Court Kelli Paradise Smith could provide details about court costs.
Both Paul and Paradise Smith estimated the total cost was approximately $10,000.
“I don’t think $10,000 is too far off,” Paul said. “(The estimate) may be under (the total cost), if you add it all up; time, court preparation and so on.”
Paradise Smith said the county paid four bailiffs $50 for one day, bringing the total cost to the county to $8,474.40, without knowing other court costs.
There was a cost associated with having Senior Judge David Sweat preside over the case, but that was paid by the state, District Court Administrator TJ BeMent said.
The petition for writ of mandamus, filed by Oglethorpe County resident Fern Williams, called for the construction of a dog impoundment facility, among other animal-related items.
Sweat dismissed the petition in July.
“(Despite) all allegations of (Williams’) complaint to be true, there is no basis upon which the court could grant the mandamus relief sought,” his decision stated.
Williams said she doesn’t plan on continuing legal action against the county. She said there is nothing to be done and added she doesn’t think the cost of the writ should be a concern.
“For anybody to be so disingenuous to think that a citizen who pays taxes … (doesn’t) have the right to file an action on something that they perceive as wrong. That’s the way the world works,” she said. “If people are going around filing lawsuits every other week and really abusing the privilege, that’s an entirely different matter. … That is not me. That is not what I did.”