22.1-82 - Employment of counsel to advise or defend school boards and officials; payment of costs, expenses and liabilities; consent of governing bodies required prior to institution of proceedings.

§ 22.1-82. Employment of counsel to advise or defend school boards andofficials; payment of costs, expenses and liabilities; consent of governingbodies required prior to institution of proceedings.

A. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the attorney for theCommonwealth or other counsel may be employed by a school board to advise itconcerning any legal matter or to represent it, any member thereof or anyschool official in any legal proceeding to which the school board, member orofficial may be a party, when such proceeding is instituted by or against itor against the member or official by virtue of his actions in connection withhis duties as such member or official.

B. All costs and expenses of such advice and all costs, expenses andliabilities of such proceedings shall be paid out of funds appropriated tothe school board.

C. A school board shall, prior to instituting any legal action or proceedingagainst any other governmental agency in Virginia or expending any fundstherefor, first secure the authorization of the governing body of the county,city or town constituting the school division or the governing bodies of thecounties or cities in the school division if the division is composed of morethan one county or city except as to legal actions or proceedings arisingbetween the school board and the governing body or bodies.

(Code 1950, §§ 22-56.1, 22-72; 1954, c. 289; 1956, Ex. Sess., cc. 60, 63;1959, Ex. Sess., c. 79, § 1; 1966, c. 691; 1970, c. 71; 1971, Ex. Sess., c.161; 1972, c. 511; 1973, cc. 134, 299; 1975, cc. 308, 328; 1980, c. 559.)