Who Should Pay the Legal Bills? Sheriff Hakes’ Lawyer Sues Chippewa County

Chippewa County’s sheriff’s lawyer is suing the county for the sheriff’s legal bill.

Attorney Richard Hodsdon is demanding that the county pay Sheriff Travis Hakes’ 27 thousand-dollar legal bill from the investigation into Hakes’ behavior as sheriff. That investigation lasted from July of last year into March of this year, and looked into the sheriff’s on-the-job and off-the-job behavior.

County leaders have said Hakes has to pay the bill himself. They say while he is a county official, the county board never approved his hiring of a lawyer, and therefore the county is off the hook for those legal costs. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE WITH WEAU 13 NEWS.