For A Second Time, Judge Tosses Out County Of Orange’s Legal Effort To Overturn 3% At 50 Pension Benefit For Orange County DeputiesÂ
LOS ANGELES – Rejecting amended legal arguments from the County of Orange, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Helen Bendix today threw out of court a lawsuit by the Orange County Board of Supervisors to overturn 3% at 50 pension benefits for Orange County Deputy Sheriffs (Countyof Orange v. AOCDS & Board of Retirement, Case #BC389758).Â
It was the second time the judge had tossed the county’s case out of court before it could be set for trial. Last February she threw out one claim by the County but decided to allow them to amend asecond claim if they could swear to certain specific facts. In April the County amended its lawsuitbut did not appear to include any of the facts the Judge had requested.Â
As such, the judge chose to throw the case out of court once again. The County of Orange filed the controversial lawsuit in February 2008 despite having three different outside law firms they had hired for legal counsel warn them they could not win such a case. As of February, they have rung up over $1.7 million in legal bills on their legal effort.Â
“After fifteen months and $1.7 million in outside legal counsel fees, the County of Orange has yet to show any progress on this misguided effort,†said Wayne Quint, President of the Associationof Orange County Deputy Sheriffs (AOCDS). “With the county’s present fiscal crisis, I am hopefulthe County Board of Supervisors will come to their senses and cut their losses. At this point it has to be apparent to them that they have no chance at all of winning this case.â€