Published: September 19, 2007 11:58 pm      

Witnesses to be subpoenaed about county jail

Attorneys have taken a step that may put the Hunt County one step closer to recouping monies spent on the Jail.

The law firm of Scott, Money and Ray, PLLC, which has been retained to represent the county in its quest to figure out its legal options regarding the Hunt County Jail, filed a petition for deposition Tuesday. The petition seeks the court’s permission to subpoena individuals to testify regarding the facility.

The law firm is seeking to interview representatives with Burns Fletcher Gill Architects, Terracon Consultants Inc., J.T. Turner Construction Co. Inc., M. Hanna Construction Inc., and former County Judge Joe Bobbitt and current Pct. 2 Commissioner Ralph Green “in order to investigate a potential claim of suit.”

“The subject matter of the anticipated suit is negligence related to the failure of the foundation of the Hunt County Jail,” according to the petition, which has been filed in the 354th District Court.

The jail has been a thorn in the side of Hunt County officials since a variety of structural problems including cracks started appearing soon after the jail opened more than five years ago. Since January, the Hunt County Commissioners Court has been trying to decide whether to pursue legal options regarding the jail to try to recoup some of the hundreds of thousands of dollars the county has had to invest in the facility to keep in working order.

In late June, the Court voted to retain Scott, Money and Ray, PLLC, to conduct depositions with some of the major players involved in the construction of the Hunt County Jail.

According to the petition, Burns Fletcher Gill Architects performed the architectural and engineering duties during the Jail’s construction. Terracon Consultants was the county’s geotechnical engineering firm. J.T. Turner Construction Co. acted as the construction manager. M. Hanna Construction performed site work on the building pad.

Bobbitt was county judge during the project and Green served as commissioner during the project.

Those receiving subpoenas should expect to testify about information regarding engineering and the construction of the Jail as well as day-to-day directions received from Hunt County officials, according to the petition.

Ultimately, though, county officials hope “to determine whether any valid claims against deposed or other parties exist prior to filing suit,” and determine who should share the liability for the foundation failure.