The staffers in this practice area specialize in collecting liens, fines, taxes, judgments and other monies owed to Harris County and enforce a wide variety of laws protecting your neighborhood and community. They handle deed restriction cases, enforce county subdivision regulations, and prosecute civil cases involving animal cruelty.

The Special Prosecution Unit in the Compliance Division works with law enforcement agencies to enforce the county’s sexually oriented business regulation and the laws prohibiting drug and prostitution-related nuisances.   

Labor and Employment attorneys advise the county, its departments, and its officials regarding proposed policies and procedures and legal obligations.  They also assist in providing training for management and newly elected officials.

This division enforces the laws on air pollution, water pollution, sewage disposal, hazardous and other solid waste disposal, drinking water contamination, flood plain management, and public health nuisances.  Environmental attorneys also represent the public’s interest by opposing environmental permits if the issuance of the permit would be detrimental to public health.

The General Counsel Division provides general legal services and advice covering a wide range of issues related to public works, issuance of bonds and other financing arrangements, community services, operational management including road and building construction, park-site planning and development, vendor selection and contract development, agreement preparation, including design and engineering services, neighborhood contract deputies, and interlocal agreements with other governmental jurisdictions, abandonments, open records and open meetings requirements and the application of state and federal laws and regulations, HIV/AIDS programs, the medical examiner, parks and library operations, disaster planning, and emergency management services.

The Hospital District Division provides general civil legal representation for the Harris County Hospital District, its Board of Managers, Ben Taub, Lyndon B. Johnson and Quentin Mease Hospitals, and thirteen community health centers operated by the District.

This division has a State Trial, a Federal Trial and an Appellate Section. These lawyers represent Harris County and other county entities, as well as county officials and employees, in general civil litigation.  Trial Division attorneys handle a wide variety of cases filed in state court, including, for example, cases arising from automobile collisions, injuries suffered in parks, buildings and flood control ditches, contract disputes and the denial of bail bond licenses.  Trial Division attorneys also represent Harris County and its officials and employees in civil rights lawsuits filed in state and federal courts.  The Trial Division attorneys also represent Harris County and other county entities in federal and state lawsuits and in civil service commissions and labor arbitrations and other administrative proceedings involving employment claims.

This division contains the Children’s Protective Section which represents the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services in actions under the Texas Family Code protecting abused and neglected children in Harris County; the Children’s Assessment Center, which has attorneys who represent the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and Harris County Protective Services for Children and Adults in actions under the Texas Family Code protecting sexually abused children in Harris County; and the Disability and Elder Law Section; which has attorneys who represent the Harris County Guardianship Program and the State of Texas in mental health commitment proceedings.

The Real Property Division provides legal services regarding real property acquisition and management through the power of eminent domain, on behalf of Harris County, the Harris County Toll Road Authority and the Harris County Flood Control District.  This division provides abstract and title examination services for the county and Flood Control District in connection with proposed property acquisitions and dispositions.