Terminating the Employment Relationship

A local agency is considered a “party” or has “significant exposure to litigation” if an officer or employee is a party or has significant exposure to litigation concerning prior or prospective activities or alleged activities during the course and scope of that office or employment, including litigation in which it is an issue whether an activity is outside the course and scope of the office or employment. 364

Although the issue of whether to settle a lawsuit may be properly discussed in closed session pursuant to the pending litigation exemption, the legislative body may not decide upon or adopt in closed session a settlement that accomplishes or provides for action for which a public hearing is required by law. 365

LCW Practice Advisor

Trancas Property Owners Association v. City of Malibu 366 The City was involved in a land dispute with a local owner-developer. After the City denied approval of the developer’s final subdivision maps the developer sued and litigation commenced. The City and the developer engaged in several attempts to settle the matter. Citing the pending litigation exception, the City Council met in closed session and the City subsequently entered into a written agreement for the City to rescind the disapproval of the subdivision maps and approve one of the maps to exempt a development from certain present and future zoning restrictions. The adoption of the agreement in closed session was improper because the agreement involved provisions for future actions that would ordinarily be subject to the Brown Act’s open meeting requirements and are required by law to be made after public hearing (e.g., whether to grant a zoning variance).

1. A GENDA Prior to holding a pending litigation closed session, the legislative body must state on its agenda the title of or otherwise specifically identify the litigation to be discussed, unless to do so would jeopardize the agency’s ability to conclude existing settlement negotiations to its advantage. 367

Government Code § 54956.9(a) (Conference with Legal Counsel- Existing Litigation/Anticipated Litigation):

Conference with Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation

Name of case:_______________________________________________________________ (Specify by reference to claimant’s name, names of parties, case or claim numbers) or

Case name unspecified:_______________________________________________________ (Specify whether disclosure would jeopardize service of process or existing settlement negotiations)

Terminating the Employment Relationship ©2019 (s) Liebert Cassidy Whitmore 120