There is established within the Public Service Commission an Office of the General Counsel. The head of such Office shall be the General Counsel, who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Commission. The Commission may, upon the recommendation of the General Counsel and within the limits of appropriations therefor, employ and fix the compensation of such other employees, including attorneys, in accordance with the provisions of subchapters VIII and IX of Chapter 6 of Title 1, as may be necessary to assist the General Counsel in carrying out his duties under this section. The duty of the General Counsel shall be, and he is authorized, to represent and appear for the Commission in all actions and proceedings under this section, or under or in reference to any act, order, or proceeding of the Commission, and, if directed to do so by the Commission, to intervene, if possible, in any action or proceeding in which any such question is involved; to commence and prosecute all actions and proceedings directed or authorized by the Commission, and to expedite, in every way possible, final and just determination of all such actions and proceedings; to advise the Commission and each commissioner, when so requested, in regard to all matters in connection with the powers and duties of the Commission and of the members thereof, and generally to perform all duties and services as attorney and counsel which the Commission may reasonably require. The Commission may enforce its orders to any case by legal or equitable remedy in any court of competent jurisdiction, and it shall be the duty of the General Counsel to represent the Commission in every such proceeding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it shall not be the duty of the General Counsel, nor is he authorized, to prosecute any criminal case for the imposition of any penalty or punishment provided for in this section.
(Mar. 4, 1913, 37 Stat. 993, ch. 150, § 8, par. 91; Feb. 26, 1981, D.C. Law 3-124, § 2, 28 DCR 90.)
Prior Codifications1981 Ed., § 43-405.
1973 Ed., § 43-204.