New Hampshire's Executive Council has given the attorney general's office nearly $1 million to offset the costs of waging and defending major cases.
The $900,000 award — approved Wednesday — is nearly triple the $350,000 for litigation costs allocated to the office for fiscal year 2014.
The Concord Monitor reports (http://bit.ly/1jp87zG ) that the attorney general's office has poured much of its litigation resources into fighting a complex lawsuit brought by the Disabilities Rights Center challenging the adequacy of mental health treatment. Another major case involved justifying the death sentence given Michael Addison for the 2006 fatal shooting of Manchester Officer Michael Briggs.
Attorney General Joseph Foster told the council the existing litigation budget was down to $100,000, but he had $300,000 in invoices waiting to be paid.
