St. Louis County is closing in on a $900,000 legal bill in a long-running discrimination fight with Lt. Col. Troy Doyle over the county police-chief selection, and the meter is still running. The outside law firm hired to defend the county has already billed most of its contract limit, and with a trial set for August, county leaders now have to decide whether to keep swinging in court or look for a deal before a jury weighs in.
Legal Tab So Far
As reported by St. Louis Magazine, Lewis Rice has invoiced St. Louis County $889,448 for its work on the Doyle case. The county contract currently caps what the firm can be paid on this matter at $935,000. The outlet notes that the County Council signed off on hiring Lewis Rice on a 4-3 vote and that any fees above the cap would require the County Counselor’s office to ask the council for more money.
How the Dispute Began
The dispute dates back to 2019, when Doyle says County Executive Sam Page told him he was "the right person" for the police chief job, but the Board of Police Commissioners chose Mary Barton after a brief interview. Coverage at the time documented that Doyle filed a charge with the Missouri Commission on Human Rights in July 2020 and later sued the county in 2021. KMOV reported on the early filings and the local reaction.
In a July 22, 2020 county counselor letter, available via Scribd, the county labeled a pre-filing warning from Doyle’s attorney as an attempted extortion, a document that has since been cited repeatedly in court filings.
Politics and Oversight
County officials have argued that bringing in outside counsel for complex employment cases is the most efficient way to get specialized legal expertise. As St. Louis Magazine reports, County spokesman Doug Moore pointed to past recoveries the county has won with the help of outside lawyers. Dissenting council members, however, said that when they approved the hire they wanted a firm payment cap and clear oversight.
That close vote and the contract ceiling now put a budget question squarely in front of the council: agree to more money for the defense team, or press ahead and risk a longer, potentially more expensive fight under the current cap.
Legal Implications
If Lewis Rice’s fees push past the $935,000 contract limit, the County Counselor’s office will have to return to the council to seek additional authorization. It would be a politically delicate ask in the same stretch of time that could bring either a jury trial or settlement talks.
The case has already spawned discovery disputes and amendments that broadened Doyle’s claims, and schedule delays have added to the legal tab. Any settlement or jury award could saddle taxpayers with additional legal fees on top of any payout the county is ordered to make or agrees to pay.
What to Watch
Doyle now serves as Ferguson’s police chief, which has helped keep the case squarely in the public eye. Spectrum News notes that he was named Ferguson chief in 2023.
The parties are scheduled to appear in court for a pretrial conference in late July, with a jury trial on the calendar for August. Whether the county seeks more funding for its outside lawyers or the two sides strike a deal before jurors are seated will be the next development to watch.
