Hardeman’s Legal Fees Challenged

The Inglewood City Council has hired an outside attorney to challenge nearly $250,000 in fees being sought by the lawyers who represented Councilman Garland Hardeman in his two-year legal battle that overturned the 1987 council election.

The city will argue at a Dec. 15 hearing before Superior Court Judge Leon Savitch that Hardeman’s 1987 lawsuit against Ervin (Tony) Thomas and the city was for private, not public, benefit. Even if it did benefit the public, City Atty. Howard Rosten said, the city maintains that it should not be required to pay legal fees.

Mark Borenstein, who represented Hardeman, said Thomas and the city are liable for the fees because the case provided “substantial benefit to the 4th District voters” in overturning a fraudulent election.

Tuttle & Taylor, Borenstein’s firm, is seeking about $200,000, while the additional $50,000 would go to the Center for Law in the Public Interest, which also represented Hardeman.