A week after the Pinal County Board of Supervisors unanimously rejected Pinal County Attorney Brad Miller’s choice for deputy chief, Miller says he’s ready to take the fight to court.

On Wednesday, after consulting an outside lawyer, the board stood firm in its decision that veteran attorney Ian Daranyi was not qualified for the role of deputy chief county attorney. Board members said he lacked the minimum experience needed to represent them.

“Basically, [the deputy chief] protects the board. They’re basically our attorney,” Supervisor Rich Vitiello (R-Maricopa) told InMaricopa after the decision. “He doesn’t do prosecutions; he does civil stuff for us.”

Vice Chairman Jeff McClure reinforced that point before the vote.

“Despite what has been reported to the public, this position has nothing to do with crime or criminal prosecutions. This position serves as the chief legal advisor for the county and we, the board, are its primary client,” McClure said.

He explained the role requires “considerable expertise” in areas such as employment, taxes, elections, land use and open meeting laws.

“In other words, every law other than those covered in criminal or family law,” he said. “To waive qualifications for this critical role such that someone with barely two years’ experience in only a few of these areas of civil law would create unacceptable risk for the board, other elected officials who are also clients and for our residents.”

Miller, however, painted a different picture weeks earlier.

In a letter citing crime statistics, increased prosecutions and a strained budget, he argued his office was in crisis and announced plans to seek a court order to appoint Daranyi.

Miller said the board and County Manager Leo Lew refused to meet with him, denied his request for an executive session and blocked the matter from the Aug. 27 agenda.

“I sent a letter to the County Manager and Board of Supervisors in a last effort to work together for the benefit of Pinal County; it didn’t make a difference. This is why I will be seeking the Court’s intervention,” he wrote Sept. 3.

“When parties cannot agree on legal issues, they seek answers from the courts. It is my hope that I can quickly get back to my main responsibility: to hire the staff necessary to protect our way of life.”

In response to questions from InMaricopa today, Miller said he will not back down. Here’s his statement to us:

“The Office of the County Attorney is a constitutionally elected office and derives its authority from the people. The people have given this office the authority to appoint and hire who I see is best for each role. The board has chosen to use their spending authority to take away the will of the people, which is why I will be asking the Court to weigh in.”