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Farmers Branch City Council

City makes legal changes

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New judges and legal counsel have taken their seats in Farmers Branch.

The Farmers Branch City Council named Shannon Willis interim presiding judge and Bruce Woody interim alternate judge at the Sept. 17 City Council meeting following executive session.

Willis and Woody will serve the Farmers Branch Municipal Court at existing rates of compensation.

Council did not give any reasons for why they did not reappoint presiding Judge Terry Carnes, who according the Farmers Branch website, has worked as an associate judge for the city for more than 20 years. He was appointed as presiding judge in 2014.

The Farmers Branch Municipal Court decides fine-only Class C misdemeanors and ordinances within city limits.

According to the city’s website, the court maintains a Safe Haven policy, which means people can come to court to work out issues with a judge without fear of arrest.

In addition, the council approved an engagement letter for Wyatt, Hamilton, Findlay PLLC to serve as city attorney and terminated the agreement with Nichols, Jackson, Dillard, Hagar and Smith LLP at the Sept 10 city council meeting.

According to the presentation given the council by Deputy City Manager Jawaria Tareen, the council requested the city put out a request for proposals (RFP) for the city’s legal counsel on March 6, 2024. The city published the RFP on May 3.

Council has discussed and interviewed candidates in a series of executive sessions since July.

“We had an extensive and competitive process of reviewing the request and interviewing the attorneys, and with that process, tonight, we have Wyatt Hamilton and Findlay as our representative here,” Tareen said.

Council had no questions or comments before the vote for Resolution No. 2024-170, which the council passed unanimously.