City attorney announces closed session to discuss Westfall v. Ritchie

At a Carlsbad City Council meeting, the city attorney announced the council would adjourn to a closed session to discuss existing litigation.

The city attorney told the council: "We'll adjourn to closed session to discuss existing litigation." He identified the case as "Westfall versus Ritchie" and said the closed session was authorized under a Government Code provision as stated in the transcript.

The clerk conducted roll call before the announcement and confirmed that Council member Shin, Council member Burkholder, Council member Acosta, Mayor Pro Tembot Patel and Mayor Blackburn were present. The presiding official asked whether there were any public speakers; the response was that there were none.

The transcript records the city attorney announcing the closed-session topic and citing a Government Code citation as given in the meeting record. The minutes do not record the council actually adjourning or any later vote on the matter in the provided transcript.

The meeting record indicates the closed session topic will be existing litigation titled Westfall v. Ritchie. The agenda or staff materials giving further details about the litigation, counsel
dvice to be discussed, or any next public actions were not included in the provided transcript.