What remedy did the South Carolina AG identify if a school district paid employees’ criminal-defense costs with public funds?

Plain-English summary

A legislator asked what remedy was available if a school district continued using public money to pay for a board member’s or employee’s defense in a criminal case. The Assistant Deputy AG reaffirmed the office’s earlier view that a district lacked authority to pay those defense costs in the circumstances described.

He identified a taxpayer action as the most feasible response. The letter said such an action could seek a declaration about the expenditure, an injunction against future payments, and possibly reimbursement of past payments. The author emphasized that South Carolina courts had not yet addressed this precise criminal-defense indemnity question. His conclusion about the likely court result was an AG prediction, supported in part by decisions from other states, rather than a South Carolina judgment in the particular case.

Currency note

This opinion was issued in 1997. Subsequent statutory amendments, court decisions, or later AG opinions may have changed the analysis. Treat this page as historical context, not current legal advice. Verify current law before relying on any specific rule, deadline, or remedy mentioned here.

Common questions

Q: What type of lawsuit did the author suggest for disputed school defense payments? A: He identified a taxpayer action concerning public funds used for a private purpose as the most feasible remedy.

Q: Could a taxpayer seek to stop future payments? A: The letter named an injunction against future expenditures as a possible remedy, along with declaratory judgment.

Q: Did the opinion discuss recovering money already spent? A: Yes. It identified reimbursement of past expenditures as a possible remedy, without saying a court had ordered repayment in this matter.

Q: Had South Carolina courts ruled on paying criminal-defense costs for school officials? A: The author said they had not addressed that specific issue to his knowledge.

Background and statutory framework

The letter reviewed an earlier office opinion about defense costs, Section 59-17-110 on school district counsel for good-faith acts in employment, and Section 1-7-50 by analogy. It examined out-of-state cases including Bowling v. Brown and Wright v. Danville, then cited Kirk v. Clark for the recognized South Carolina taxpayer action to restrain unauthorized expenditure of public money.

Citations and references

Statutes discussed: Section 59-17-110; Section 1-7-50. Cases discussed: Bowling v. Brown; Wright v. Danville; Kirk v. Clark.

Source

• Landing page: https://www.scag.gov/opinions/opinions-archive/may-13-1997-1/
• Original PDF: https://www.scag.gov/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/97may13edge.pdf

Original opinion text

The State of South Carolina

OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
CHARLES MOLONY CONDON
ATTORNEY GENERAL

May 13, 1997

The Honorable Tracy R. Edge
Member, House of Representatives
326A Blatt Building
Columbia, South Carolina 29211

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Dear Representative Edge:
You note that in an opinion dated September 14, 1995, this Office concluded that a school district is without authority to pay a school board member's or an employee's expenses of representation in a criminal proceedings. You inquire as to "[w]hat legal remedies would be available when public funds continue to be expended for this unlawful purpose?" Law I Analysis

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In the September 14, 1995 opinion, we addressed the issue of "whether the school board is authorized to retain an attorney to represent [the school board officials or employees] ... in the foregoing prosecution, or to pay ... [their] legal defense in those criminal proceedings." We referenced therein an earlier opinion, dated February 15, 1985, wherein we opined that a public body may not employ counsel or pay counsel with public funds as to matters in which the body is not directly interested or which involved a private purpose. We also stated in the September 14, 1995 opinion that "[e]xpress statutory authority is necessary for expenditure of public funds in criminal proceedings (e.g. public defender)." Referencing by analogy a state statute -- Section 1-7-50 -- which permits the State to pay for the defense of government employees if they acted in "good faith", we recognized that an indictment constituted a probable cause finding of criminal conduct and thus it represented the policy of this Office that '"the employee is primarily responsible for selecting an attorney to provide a defense and for payment of any attorney fees and REMBERT

c. DENNIS BUILDING

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POST OFFICE Box 11549

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COLUMBIA, S.C. 29211-1549

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TELEPHONE:

803-734-3970

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FACSIMILE: 803-253-6283

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costs.'" Fm1her, we noted that while Section 59-17-110 permits school districts to employ counsel in criminal proceedings for acts done in good faith in the course of employment, where a grand jury has found probable cause of "fixing bids," however, such "would be clearly beyond the scope of a superintendent's duties."

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Fui1hennore, we concluded that there exists a body of case law which "supports the idea that the payment of public funds for the defense of a public official in a criminal action is not an expenditure for a public purpose but a private one." We particularly referenced the case of Bowling v. Brown, 57 Md.App. 248, 469 A.2d 896 (1984) wherein the Court found that reimbursement of the town manager and town engineer for attorney expenses in defense against charges for official misconduct was not for a public purpose. We quoted from this case at length as follows because the Court had cited numerous authorities in support of this position:
[i]t is generally agreed that a municipality has no power to reimburse a town official for his expenses incurred in defending himself from charges of official misconduct. Board of Chosen Freeholders v. Conda, 164 NJ.Super. 386, 396 A.2d 613 (1978); see 3 McQuillin, Municipal Corporations (3d ed. 1973 rev.), § 12.137. The rationale behind the rule is that such an indebtedness against a city would constitute the application of money to an individual and not to a city purpose. See e.g. Chapman v. New York, 168 N.Y. 80, 61 N.E. 108 (1901). The general rule in Maryland is that public funds of municipalities cannot properly be devoted to private uses, even when expressly authorized by the legislature. City of Frostburg v. Jenkins, 215 Md. 9, 136 A.2d 852 (1957);
\Vilson v. Board of County Commissioners, 273 Md. 30, 327 A.2d 488 (1974) .... New Jersey [case law] presented a fact situation similar to that in the instant case. See Township of Manalapan v. Loeb, 126 N.J.Super. 277, 314 A.2d 81, affd. per curiam 131 NJ.Super. 469, 330 A.2d 593 (1974). The case involved a complaint by a township for a declaratory judgment as to whether it was authorized to pay for legal expenses incurred by certain of its officers defending against an indictment handed down by a grand jury. A town committeeman had been charged with using a telephone credit card for personal

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calls and incurring expenses in excess of $200.00 which was paid from township funds. The town mayor and town business administrator were charged with having knowledge of the improper use of the credit card and failing to take the necessary steps to see that the township was reimbursed for the amount of the calls. The indictment was dismissed against the mayor and administrator, and a jury found the committeeman not guilty. In spite of the favorable termination of the legal proceedings, the court in the declaratory judgment action held that the township was not authorized by statute or otherwise to indemnify its municipal officers for the cost of defending against a criminal indictment charging them with what amounted to official misconduct. 314 A.2d at 83, citing 56 Am.Jur.2d, Municipal Corporations, Etc., § 208, at 266, and 64 C.J.S., Municipal Corporations,
§ 183, at 341. In reference to Defendant's 'public purpose' argument in the present case, this Court adopts the words of the Manalapan court: 'Here, under no circumstances can it be said that the acts charged against ... [the town employees] in the indictment were for the benefit of the municipality." 314 A.2d at 82. 469 A.2d at 902. Thus, our September 14, 1995 opinion concluded that "a political subdivision, such as a school district, is without authority to pay an employee's expenses of representation in a criminal proceeding."

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The Supreme Court of Illinois recently concurred with the body of case law which has concluded that it does not constitute a public purpose to indemnify public officials for expenses incurred in the defense of a criminal prosecution. In Wright v. Danville, 174 Ill.2d 391, 675 N.E.2d 110 (1996), the Court held that a city ordinance was invalid to the extent it attempted to indemnify officials convicted of crimes for their attorneys fees and costs incurred in their unsuccessful criminal defense. The Court's view of the ordinance consisted of the following analysis:
[a]Ithough plaintiffs are correct in their assertion that courts in some jurisdictions have determined that defending a public official from criminal charges may be a proper public purpose, it is generally held in these jurisdictions that a valid public

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purpose exists only when the authority of the municipality is limited to the reimbursement of legal expenses incurred in a successful defense. See Lomelo v. City of Sunrise, 423 So.2d 974, 976-77 (Fla. App. 1983) (costs of defending public official for misconduct charges served public purpose only because official was acquitted of charges); Ellison v. Reid, 397 So.2d 352, 354 (Fla. App. 1981); Snowden v. Anne Arundel County, 295 Md. 429, 439, 456 A.2d 380, 385 (1983) (indemnity ordinance served public purpose primarily because it limited reimbursement to only those public officials who had successfully defended themselves against criminal charges); Bowens v. City of Pontiac, 165 Mich.App. 416, 420, 419 N.W.2d 24, 26 (1988) (Shepherd, J., concurring); Sonnenberg v. Farmington Township, 39 Mich. App. 446, 449, 197 N.W.2d 853, 854 (1972); Korschel v. City of Afton, 512 N.\V.2d 351, 355 (Minn. App. 1994); Valerius v. City of Nevvark, 84 NJ. 591, 596, 423 A.2d 988, 991-92 (1980); Beckett v. Board of Supervisors, 234 Va. 614, 619 n. 7, 363 S.E.2d 918, 921 n. 7 (1988). Still, other states have held that the cost of defending a public official from criminal or official misconduct charges is never a proper public purpose. See Hall v. Thompson, 283 Ark. 26, 28-29, 669 S.W.2d 905, 90607 (1984); Bowling v. Brown, 57 Md.App. 248, 260, 469 A.2d 896, 902 (1984); Corning v. Village of Laurel Hollow, 48 N.Y.2d 348, 353-54, 398 N.E.2d 537, 540-41, 422 N.Y.S.2d 932, 935-36 (1979); Township of Manalapan v. Loeb, 126 N.J.Super. 277, 278-79, 314 A.2d 81, 81-82 (1974) (no authority for indemnification of municipal officer for costs of defending criminal charges which amount to official misconduct); Silver v. Downs, 493 Pa. 50, 55-57, 425 A.2d

359. 362-64 (1981); see also 56 Am.Jur.2d Municipal
     Corporations § 208 (1971) (municipality has no power to reimburse an official for expenses incurred in defense of official misconduct charges); 63A Am.Jur. Public Officers and Employees § 406 (1984) (members of governing body may not expend public funds to shield themselves from consequences of own unlawful and corrupt acts); 3 McQuillin on Municipal Corporations § 12.137.10 (3d rev. ed. 1990) (municipality cannot expend money to reimburse its officer for

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expenses incurred in defending official misconduct charges). Under the principles of all these cases, plaintiffs would not be able to recover the expenses of the unsuccessful criminal defense of the commissioners and corporation counsel from the city. Further, the purpose of indemnification, so as not to inhibit capable individuals from seeking public office, has no relevance in the context of the criminal conduct involved in this case. No official of public government should be encouraged to engage in criminal acts by the assurance that he will be able to pass defense costs on to the taxpayers of the community he was elected to serve. See Powers v. Union City Board of Education, 124 N.J.Super. 590, 596, 308 A.2d 71, 75 (1973). To the contrary, holding public officials personally liable for the expenses incurred in unsuccessfully defending charges of their criminal misconduct in office tends to protect the public and to secure honest and faithful service by such servants. Indeed, allowing expenditure of public funds for such use would encourage a disregard of duty and place a premium upon neglect or refusal of public officials to perform the duties imposed upon them by law. Bowling v. Brown, 57 Md.App. 248, 258, 469 A.2d 896, 901 (1984) ("[T]o reimburse [convicted public officials] for their legal expenses would not encourage the 'faithful and courageous discharge of duty on the part of public officials.' [Citation.] On the contrary, it would encourage the reverse"). The types of individuals who are drawn to these corrupt practices should not be given any incentive to seek public office. 675 N.E.2d at 115-116 (emphasis added). A number of Attorneys General in other jurisdictions have reached the same conclusion as these courts. For example, in Minn. Op. Atty. Gen. 125-A-25, 1980 WL 119580 (Minn. A.G.), (July 28, 1980), the Minnesota Attorney General concluded that a county was "without authority to reimburse" a deputy for the cost of his legal defense arising out of a criminal charge against him. While acknowledging that there might be instances where public policy considerations "might be advanced in favor of permitting payment of criminal defense costs ... , the authority to do so should derive from proper

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statutory or charter authorization with respect to such reimbursement." Likewise, in La. Atty. Gen. Op. No. 89-401, 1989 WL 454326 (La. A.G.) (August 14, 1989), the Louisiana Attome~. General found that a coroner performing medical experimentation upon infants "is not \vithin the course and scope of his duty to investigate cause and manner of death is not entitled to attorneys fees for successful legal defense of criminal and civil proceedings against him." And in N.M. A.G. Op. No. 85-23, 1985 WL 190691 (N.M. A.G.) (September 16, 1985), it was concluded by the New Mexico Attorney General that "no authority exists which would empower the Risk Management Division to spend money from the \Vorkmen's Compensation Retention Fund, the Public Liability Fund or any of the other statutorily created funds which the Division administers to either employ attorneys to provide a criminal defense for public employees or to purchase insurance for that purpose." The thrust of your question is what remedies are available where a school board continues to ignore this body of case law and indemnifies a fellow school board member or other school officials for the costs and expenses of a criminal prosecution. A number of remedies are available, of course, the most obvious one--including the ballot box. However. I gather that your question is focused more upon a remedy which would halt this practice and possibly allow for recovery to the public the monies expended by the Board for this purpose. A leading South Carolina case in this is Brown v. Wingar4, 285 S.C. 478, 330 S.E.2d 30 l ( 1985). There, the town of Greenwood reimbursed spouses of the City Council for attendance of the 1982 National League of Cities Convention in Los Angeles, California. A taxpayer of the Town brought a declaratory judgment action challenging such expenditures.

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The initial question before the Supreme Court was whether a taxpayer possessed sufficient legal standing to contest these payments. The Court held that he did. Concluding that "taxpayers ... have an interest in seeing that city officials disburse funds in a lavvful manner ... [,]" the Court found legal standing to be present. Further the Court found that there existed "no public purpose in this case because the factual circumstances are too remote .... 11 Likewise, in Tucker v. S.C. Dept. of Highways and Pub. Transp., 309 S.C. 395, 424 S.E.2d 468 (1992), the Supreme Court allowed a taxpayer action to challenge a statute requiring approval of county legislative delegation for expenditure of construction funds and allowing the delegation to contract for improvements. The Court subsequently held that the statute violated the constitutional separation of powers provision.

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Courts have also permitted taxpayers to bring an action for a declaratory judgment that a town council had acted beyond its powers in approving reimbursement for expenses incurred in the defense of a criminal prosecution. Bowling v. Brown, supra provides considerable guidance in this area.

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The Bowling decision first concluded that the municipality possessed no authority to authorize reimbursement for criminal defense expenditures. Said the Court:
[i]t is generally agreed that a municipality has no power to reimburse a town official for his expenses incurred in defending himself from charges of official misconduct. Board of Chosen Freeholders v. Conda, 164 N.J.Super. 386, 396 A.2d 613 (1978); see 3 McQuillen, Municipal Corporations, (3d ed. 1973 rev.) § 12.137. The rationale behind the rule is that such an indebtedness against a city would constitute the application of money to an individual and not to a city purpose. See e.g., Chapman v. New York, 168 N.Y. 80, 61 N.E. 108 (1901). The general rule in Maryland is that public funds of municipalities cannot properly be devoted to private uses, even when expressly authorized by the legislature. City of Frostburg v. Jenkins, 215 Md. 9, 136 A.2d 852 (1957); Wilson v. Board of County Commissioners, 273 Md. 30, 327 A.2d 488 (1974). A New Jersey case presented a fact situation similar to that in the instant case. See Township of Manalapan v. Loeb, 126 N.J.Super. 277, 314 A.2d 81, affd. per curiam 131 N.J.Super. 469, 330 A.2d 593 (1974). The case involved a complaint by a township for a declaratory judgment as to whether it was authorized to pay for legal expenses incurred by certain of its officers defending against an indictment handed down by a grand jury. A town committeeman had been charged with using a telephone credit card for personal calls and incurring expenses in excess of 200.00 which was paid from township funds. The town mayor and town business administrator were charged with having knowledge of the improper use of the credit card and failing to take the necessary steps to see that the township was not authorized by statute or otherwise to indemnify its municipal officers for the

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cost of defending against a criminal indictment charging them with what amounted to official misconduct. 314 A.2d at 82, citing 56 Am.Jur.2d, Municipal Corporations, Etc., § 208, at 266, at 64 C.J.S., Municipal Corporations, § 183, at 341. In reference to Defendants' 'public purpose' argument in the present case, this Court adopts the words of the Manalapan court: 'Here, under no circumstances can it be said that the acts charged against ... [the town employees] in the indictment were for the benefit of the municipality.' 314 A.2d at 82. Id. at 901. The Court then noted that "[o]nee the Plaintiff has established that the expenditures were not for a public purpose, the burden shifts to Defendants to justify relieving them of personal liability for the amounts expended." Defendants argued, however, that they were performing a "discretionary function" and were thus immune from suit under Maryland lmv. The Court rejected this argument, concluding that
[a]s the Plaintiff correctly argues, if the funds expended by the Town Council ... were not for a public purpose, the expenditure was an ultra vires act outside the scope of Defendant's employment and [the immunity statute] ... does not apply. Id. at 903. Likewise, the Court found that the doctrine of qualified immunity "applies to actions for t011 and has no application to acts which are ultra vires." Id. Moreover, the Court refused to hold that the defendants should not "be personally liable for the funds expended because they exercised good faith in authorizing the expenditures." Unsure, however. that the appropriate standard to qualify for immunity was one of "due diligence" in authorizing the expenditures or one of strict liability the Court noted that there was clearly la\ favoring both standards:
[t]his Court is not sure whether the Maryland Court of Appeals will follow the lead of the California Court and adopt the due care standard. In a similar case, the Court of Appeals declined to consider the question of good faith, because it found that the defendants had acted within the scope of their authority. See, Smith v. Edwards , 292 Md. 60, 437 A.2d 221, 228 n. 5 ( 1981 ). This Court does not reach the question

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of whether the due care standard should apply in Maryland, because the Defendants have failed to present sufficient evidence of due care to bring the question into play. The Court does note that ... Defendants should show evidence of both good faith and due care to present a serious challenge to the continued utility in Maryland of the strict liability standard set forth in Gloyd v. Talbott [221 Md. 179, 156 A.2d 665 ( 1995)]. ... The Court holds that the Defendants did exceed their authority as Town Commissioners as the Plaintiff has established that the expenditure of town funds by Defendants to reimburse town employees for legal expenses incurred defending themselves from criminal charges of misconduct in office was not an expenditure for a public purpose. Even if the Court assumes that the Court of Appeals would adopt the reasonable care doctrine as previously discussed in this Opinion, the Defendants have failed to establish that they used reasonable care in consulting their attorney about the expenditures sub judice and therefore are personally liable for the funds expended.... 469 A.2d at 904-905. The law in South Carolina is supportive ofliability for public officers who perform ultra vires acts. Our Supreme Court has held, for example, that
[t]he principle is firmly settled in this State that a taxpayer may maintain an action in equity on behalf of himself and all other taxpayers, to restrain public officers from paying out public money for purposes unauthorized by law. Sligh v. Bowers, 62 S.C. 409, 40 S.E. 885; Mauldin v. City Council of Greenville, 33 S.C. 1, 11 S.E. 434, 8 L.R.A.; 291; McCullough v. Brown, 41 S.E. 220, 19 S.E. 458, 23 L.R.A. 410, Porn. Eq. Jur. 277, Sec. 260, 2 Dill. Mun. Corp. Sec. 736. Kirk v. Clark, 191 S.C. 205, 210, 4 S.E.2d 13 (1939). In Chandler v. Britton, 197 S.C. 303, 310, 15 S.E.2d 344 ( 1941 ), the Court stated that "in the absence of any statutory law to the contrary a public official is not liable for the loss of funds deposited with him if he has exercised that degree of care and prudence in the management of funds which a

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person of ordinary care and prudence would exercise in his own business." The Court, in Long v. Seabrook, 260 S.C. 562, 568, 197 S.E.2d 659 (1973) concluded that "[t]he failure of a public official to comply with the laws governing and regulating his powers and duties may give rise to liability." And in Sumter Co. v. Hurst, 189 S.C. 316, 1 S.E.2d 242 (1939), the Court said that "[w]e think that there can be no dispute of the proposition that when a public officer receives money for the public use, he is a trustee to receive such monies and to pay them to the public official or function for whom or which they were intended." Id. at 319. Moreover, in Haesloop v. City Council of Charleston, 123 S.C. 272, 115 S.E. 596 (1923), our Supreme Court recognized the following general principle:
... In the sense that all powers of municipal corporations are held in trust for public use, all property held by such corporations is held in a fiduciary capacity .... Property held by such corporations for strictly governmental purposes or which has been devoted to a special public use may be sold or disposed of only under express legislative authority; but property acquired and held for general municipal purposes is subject to the corporation's discretionary power of use and disposal. ... It is universally conceded, however, that such discretionary power of use and disposal does not include the authority to donate municipal property to a strictly private use, for the obvious reason that a transfer or release of such property by a municipality to a private ownership without receiving in return some consideration of reasonably equivalent value would amount to a palpable breach of the trust upon which it is held. 115 S.E. at 600. Thus. it would appear to me that the most feasible remedy available with respect to your situation is a taxpayer action concerning the expenditure of public funds for a private purpose. The question of the use of public funds to indemnify a public official for defense of a criminal action has never been addressed by our courts, to my knowledge. Nonetheless. as indicated above, a number of courts in other jurisdictions have concluded that such expenditures do not constitute a public purpose even where the defense of the criminal action is ultimately successful. Here, the issue of the validity of § 59-17-110 would also have to be addressed in any such action. See Wright v. Danville, supra. An

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action for declaratory judgment would be the type of action typically brought by a taxpayer. In addition, the remedy of injunction against future expenditures of such funds for such purpose as well as reimbursement for past expenditures would be possible as well. It is thus my opinion, consistent with the opinion of Attorney General Condon, dated September 14, 1995 that our courts would conclude that a school district may not expend public funds to pay a school board member's or an employee's expenses of representation in criminal proceedings. It is also my opinion that a taxpayer action of the type described above would be the most effective remedy. With kind regards, I am Very truly yours,

Robert D. Cook
Assistant Deputy Attorney General

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REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY:

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¥'b C. Williams, III
Deputy Attorney General