Sec. 1. (a) Notwithstanding IC 4-6-2-11 or IC 4-6-5-3, a township assessor, a county assessor, a county auditor, a member of a county property tax assessment board of appeals, or a county property tax assessment board of appeals that:
(1) made an original determination that is the subject of a judicial proceeding in the tax court; and
(2) is a defendant in a judicial proceeding in the tax court;
may elect to be represented in the judicial proceeding by an attorney selected and paid by the defendant, the township, or the county.
(b) For purposes of this section, a party identified in subsection (a) may elect to be represented by the office of the attorney general under a written agreement between the party and the office of the attorney general.