The Department of Law is headed by the City Attorney who, by Charter, serves as the Director of Law for the City of Eastpointe.  The City Attorney is appointed by, and serves at the pleasure of, the Eastpointe City Council. 

The City Attorney, as Director of Law, derives his powers from the Charter of the City of Eastpointe. In Chapter III, Section 24, of the City Charter, the powers of the Department of Law are set forth as follows:

The Director of Law shall be an attorney at law who shall have practiced in the State of Michigan for at least five years. He shall be the chief legal advisor of and attorney for the City and all departments and offices thereof in matters relating to their official powers and duties. It shall be his duty, either personally or by such assistants as he may designate, to perform all services incident to the Department of Law; to attend all meetings of the Council; to give advice in writing, when so requested, to the Council, the City Manager or the director of any department; to prosecute or defend, as the case may be, all suits or cases to which the City may be a party; to prosecute for all offenses against the ordinances of the City and for such offenses against the laws of the State as may be required of him by law; to prepare all contracts, bonds and other instruments in writing in which the City is concerned, and to endorse on each his approval of the form and correctness thereof; and to perform such other duties of a legal nature as the Council may by ordinance require. In addition to the duties imposed upon the Director of Law by this Charter or required of him by ordinance or resolution of the Council, he shall perform any duties imposed upon the chief legal officers of municipalities by law.

The City Attorney is the chief legal officer for the city. The City Attorney represents the City of Eastpointe at all legal proceedings and provides legal advice to the Mayor and City Council, the City Manager, and department heads of the City.

The City Attorney prepares all ordinances, drafts and reviews all contracts and other written documents and under his direction, prosecutes all municipal ordinance violations. The City Attorney's duties also include updating the City Council on all matters of law and recent developments and changes regarding the law that may affect the City.

The City Attorney practices in all courts in the State of Michigan, including the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, Circuit Court, District Court, Municipal Court and all Federal Courts. The City Attorney also appears before administrative commissions in the State of Michigan including the Michigan Tax Tribunal, Michigan Employment Security Commission, Michigan Civil Rights Commission, Michigan Employment Relations Commission, and other agencies and bureaus.

The City Attorney does not give private legal advice to citizens in the community. Rather, the City Attorney will refer citizens to other agencies and service providers.

TOP

BIOGRAPHY OF CITY ATTORNEY

Robert J. Hribar, serves as attorney for the City of Eastpointe and as its Director of Law. Mr. Hribar began his association with the City in 1972 when he was appointed as an Assistant City Attorney by then City Attorney, Carl Weymouth, which appointment was approved by the City Council. Upon Mr. Weymouth's retirement, in 1977, the City Council appointed Mr. Hribar as City Attorney.

Mr. Hribar was admitted to the practice of law in the State of Michigan in 1966. He is a partner in the law firm of Puzzuoli, Hribar, Iafrate, Majerowicz, Jansen and Kohler, whose offices are located at 16931 Nineteen Mile Road, #100, Clinton Township, Michigan 48038; Phone: (586) 263-1600.  You can also E-mail the City Attorney.

Mr. Hribar is licensed to practice law in all courts in the State of Michigan. He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, Macomb County Bar Association, and the Catholic Lawyers Society. He serves as a Mediator and Facilitator for the Macomb County Circuit Court. He is a panel member of the Attorney Discipline Board which investigates and tries citizens' complaints against attorneys. He has served as President of the Macomb County Bar Association, has been a member of the Representative Assembly of the State Bar of Michigan and has served on the Fiscal Committee and Continuing Legal Education Committee for the State Bar. Mr. Hribar has also lectured in areas of mediation and municipal zoning.

Mr. Hribar is a graduate of East Detroit High School and received his bachelor's degree and law degree from the University of Detroit. He and his wife, Mary Ann, are the parents of four (4) daughters.

TOP

ADDITIONAL LEGAL STAFF

Joseph P. Puzzuoli serves as Assistant City Attorney. He was appointed by Mr. Hribar. Mr. Puzzuoli is Mr. Hribar's law partner and provides legal advice to the City in the same manner as the City Attorney. He also appears at meetings in the City Attorney's absence. The law firm of Ihrie & O'Brien prosecutes all ordinance violations for the City in Eastpointe's 38th District Court.

The City of Eastpointe is a member of the Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority, which consists of many cities, townships, villages and counties in the State of Michigan which have pooled their resources to provide insurance benefits to its member communities. Whenever the City is sued by a party seeking monetary damages, the Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority provides legal defense services to the City. Currently, there are two (2) law firms that represent the Authority and the City of Eastpointe in these types of cases. They are: Johnson, Rosati, LaBarge, Aseltyne and Field and Cummings, McClorey, Davis & Acho.  Timothy S. Ferrand is the primary defense attorney for the city and also appears at meetings in the City Attorney's absence.

The law firms that represent the Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority work in conjunction with the City Attorney in a continuing effort to assure that the City of Eastpointe is receiving the best legal defense at reasonable cost.

TOP