Public Legal Opinions & Public Reports » Oakland City Attorney

Oakland City Attorney

Oakland City Attorney

Oakland City Attorney

Oakland City Attorney

Public Legal Opinions & Public Reports

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The City Attorney’s Office receives period requests from members of the Oakland City Council or other government officials to provide clarity on policy or legal questions. These documents are a matter of public record and are available for review below.

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2023

» 2023-09-19 | Public Legal Opinion re City’s authority when it declares a local emergency

» 2023-08-14 | Public Legal Opinion re Scope of Oakland City Attorney’s Authority under the City Charter and State Law

» 2023-03-22 | Public Legal Opinion – Mayor’s Authority to Terminate or Remove Police Chief

» 2023-01-08 | Statement and Memorandum from City Attorney re City Clerk’s Ministerial duty to administer oath of Office to candidates certified by the County Registrar of Voters (1)

2022

» 2022-12-16 | Legal Opinion re City Council Authority to Modify Military Equipment Policies

» 2022-07-07 | Public Notice re Brown Act Violation on May 26, 2022

» 2022-07-07 | Letter Memorializing Conflict of Interest Advice re CM Taylor and ESO Ventures

» 2022-07-04 | Public Legal Opinion – Conflicts of Interest Under the Political Reform Act and California Government Code Section 1090

» 2022-05-16 | Public Legal Opinion – Council Authority to Increase the City Attorney Salary Based on Compaction

» 2022-05-02 | Legal Opinion – Letter to Council Re Increasing City Attorney Salary

2021

» 2021-11-05 | Public Legal Opinion – Whether the Deadline for the Adoption of the Final Redistricting Plan Can Be Extended

» 2021-06-07 | City Council Retreat – City Attorney Presentation (Memo PowerPoint Presentation and Agenda)

» 2021-05-31 | Council’s Remedies Regarding Mayor’s Failure to Publish Proposed Budget

» 2021-03-25 | Public Letter re Outside Counsel Fees_Costs for Analysis of California Equal Pay Act and Federal Fair Pay Act Issues (Liebert Cassidy)

» 2021-02-12 | Legal Opinion re City Administrator Authority to Implement Brown Outs at Fire Stations

» 2021-02-05 | Public Legal Opinion re City Administrator’s Ability to Freeze Vacant Positions within Department of Workplace Enforcement Standards (February 5, 2021)

2020

» 2020-07-13 | Public Legal Opinion re Which Actions are Within the Province of the City Council Under the City Charter

» 2020-05-19 | Public opinion city administrator authority to delegate appointing_ hiring_ (2936375.2)

» 2020-04-24 | FINAL Public Legal Opinion – City Attorney Authority to Execute Joint Defense_Common Interest Agreement

» 2020-04-09 | Public legal opinion to city council – closed session – Public Employee Ap(2923371.1)

» 2020-03-20 | Final Public Legal Opinion re Mayor_s Oakland Promise Questions March 2020 (2) (003)

» 2020-01-30 | Public Legal Opinion Regarding Brown Act JAN 30 2020 Requirements to Report in Open Session Closed Session Actions on Pending Litigation

2019

» 2019-11-15-Public Opinion Re Rescission of Ballot Measure Proposing Charter Amendment

» 2019-06-18-City Attorney Public Legal Opinion Regarding Legal Issues Raised by the Finance Department Response

» 2019-04-25-Memorandum re Proposed Council Resolution Regarding the Inspector General APR 25 2019

» 2019-02-17-City Council Seniority 2 17 09

2018

» 2018-09-26-Penalties and Remedies for Violation of the Ralph M. Brown Act Closed Session Confidentiality Sept. 26 2018

» 2018-06-14-Memo re Inspector General (00346342xAEB03)

» 2018-06-05-PUBLIC Legal Opinion June 5 2018 set aside of capital improve funds – Brooks job training ordinance

» 2018-06-04-Memo. Authority of City Atty to Appoint Legal Advisor to Community Police Review Agency (00346350xAEB03)

» 2018-05-10-Legality of Ordinance on May 15, 2018 Council Agenda (Item 11) that would Allocate 5 Percent of Capital Improvement Project Costs to Fund Job Training Programs

» 2018-03-19-Final Legal Opinion to Council 3_19_2018 re Police Commission Enabling Ordinance City Administrator

» 2018-03-07-Final legal opinion city attorney independent authority to bring Nuisance Actions v2 (Issued on 3_7_

» 2018-01-11-LEGAL OPINION Ethics Complaints against the Public Ethics Commission 1.11.18

2017

» 2017-11-09-Legal Opinion – Scope of Special Council Meetings Called Pursuant to City Charter Section 208

» 2017-10-12-City Council and Council Committees Not Required to Allow Public to Speak on Unscheduled Motions to Place an Item or Items on a Future Meeting Agenda or Defer an Agenda Item

» 2017-05-03-Legal Opinion to Council Regarding Council Holds Attorney-Client Privilege When City Attorney Provides Individual Councilmember Advice

2016

» 2016-07-14-City Clerk’s Attendance at Closed Session to Record Actions July 14 2016

2015

» 2015-10-20-OPINION Does the Mayor Have the Authority to Issue Executive Orders 10 20 15

» 2015-08-21-PEC Case 14-11 Opinion re commisioner_s amendments on the floor and brown act sunshine ordinance co

» 2015-06-22-Legal Opinion re Absence of the Mayor

» 2015-06-17-Recusal Requirements on Matters Involving Contractors Who Make Campaign Contributions to Elected Officials During Contract Negotiati

2013

» 2013-12-27-FINAL Legal Opinion re Delegate and Council Representatives Authority to Cast Votes at Coliseum JPA

» 2013-10-25-FINAL LEGAL OPINION re Charter Section 218 and Council Members Directing City Staff to Speak at Coun

» 2013-07-11-CITY COUNCIL CENSURE LAW AND PROCEDURES 7 11 2013

» 2013-04-26-Legal Requirements and Legal Status Report Regarding the City of Oakland’s 2013 Redistricting Effort 4 26 13

» 2013-04-22-Update on legal opinion re text and email records (F)

» 2013-04-09-2013 Opinion Powers, Protocols and Procedures for Retention of Outside Counsel

2012

» 2012-07-10-City’s authority to exclude Goldman Sachs from future contracts with the City 7 10 12

» 2012-04-30-Applicability of Ranked Choice Voting to Tabulation of Votes to Replace a Recalled Municipal Official 4 30 12

» 2012-04-16-Does the Public Records Act Allow the City to Require that Public Records Requestors Fill Out a Form or Submit Requests in Writing 4 16 12

» 2012-03-22-City Council Non-Interference in Administrative Affairs March 22 2012

2011

» 2011-12-19-Legal implications of two recall petitions 12 19 11

» 2011-11-22-Disclosure of Text and Email Messages under the CA Public Records Act 11 22 11

» 2011-10-26-Applicability of Brown Act-Sunshine Ordinance to Budget Committee of the Oakland Workforce Investment Board 10 26 11

» 2011-06-02-SF Opinion re Timing of a Possible Special Election for the Oakland City Attorney 6 2 11

» 2011-05-04-Succession of the City Attorney May 4 2011

» 2011-01-21-Letter to Mayor — Role of City Attorney as Legal Counsel 1.21.11

2010

» 2010-09-28-Independent expenditure committees 92810

» 2010-09-02-Independent expend committees expend ceiling for candidates 9.2.10 (F)

» 2010-05-27-Legal Opinion 2010

» 2010-05-10-Legal Opinion – Adoption of Budget Based on Passage of a Future Tax Increase

» 2010-04-20-Contrib Limit 4.20.10

» 2010-01-13-Ballot Measure Campaigning 1.13.10

2009

» 2009-12-16-IRV Opinion 12.16.09

» 2009-10-15-Travel – Legal Questions Related to Annual Report on Travel

» 2009-08-25-Who Has the Power to Make or Confirm Appointments to City Boards and Commissions 8 25 09

» 2009-03-21-Measure Y budgeting funds to pay police officers

» 2009-02-05-Appointment of City Administrator Applicability of Ord 12908 Feb 5 2009

» 2009-01-27-City Administrator’s Emergency Contracting Authority

» 2009-01-22-Complaint re appointment of city admin 1 22 09

» 2009-01-09-Film permit opinion (F) 1 9 09

2008

» 2008-07-02-Interpretation of City Charter Section 907 Nepotism

» 2008-06-16-Impact of proposed 12 day closure on Measure Q

» 2008-05-02-Appointments to CPAB 5.2.08

» 2008-02-07-MeasureYOpinion

» 2008-01-24-MeasureYCommitteepowers

» 2008-01-03-Measure Y violence prevention v public service

2007

» 2007-06-25-CityAuditorContractsOpinion6-07

» 2007-06-22-Legal Opinion June 07 City Auditor’s Right to Examine City Records

» 2007-06-13-EqualAccessOrd6-07

» 2007-03-19-Brown Act March 19 2007

» 2007-03-01-CityAudDuty3-07

2006

» 2006-09-06-OakNinthRefOpinion 9-06

» 2006-08-29-OakNinthOpinAttachments 9-06

» 2006-06-29-PayGo-FormLegality6-06

» 2006-06-22-PayGo-Grants6-06

» 2006-06-16-VoteTally6-06

» 2006-06-14-PayGo-CityProperty6-06

» 2006-05-24-AllegedMisUse of Pers for Non-Pers 5-06

» 2006-05-22-Personnel for Non-Pers 5-06

» 2006-05-18-CandidateQualifSponsor 5-06

» 2006-04-25-371596_2

» 2006-03-29-KidsFirst!2006

2005

» 2005-08-12-WIB8-2005

» 2005-05-03-Central Station Wood Street April 2005

» 2005-02-03-Casino_EIS_2-3-05

2004

» 2004-01-27-OMC_Purchasing

2003

» 2003-08-19-KidsFirst!2003

» 2003-06-13-CityMngrPowers_clarifying

» 2003-06-13-City Manager Powers 6 13 2003

» 2003-04-02-Mayor tie breaking FINAL 4 2 03

» 2003-02-06-CityMngrPowers_2003

» 2003-02-04-CFOrole2003

2002

» 2002-04-25-Drug-FreeZones

» 2002-02-26-GrizzlyPeakParking2002

2000

» 2000-12-05-Recover$$Handa

» 2000-10-10-AntiPredLending

» 2000-02-07-Legal Opinion OCRA Feb 7 2000