(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, it shall be the duty of the county attorney to appear in any court having jurisdiction within the county and prosecute or defend on behalf of the people all actions and proceedings, civil or criminal, in which the state or the county is a party or interested.
(b) No county attorney shall be required to appear in any civil action or proceeding which relates to the operation of the county hospital. The county attorney may appear in any such civil action or proceeding at the county attorney's discretion, when requested by the board of county commissioners or the board of the county hospital.