The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Tuesday voted to allow District Attorney Steve Cooley and Los Angeles County Assessor Rick Auerbach to go to court to invalidate term limits that county voters imposed on their offices in 2002.

In a unanimous vote behind closed doors, the Board of Supervisors authorized the retention of legal counsel for Cooley and Auerbach as they pursue their quest to invalidate term limits. The supervisors did not go on record as to whether they support or oppose the term limits.

In November 2002, L.A. County voters approved a measure limiting county supervisors, the county sheriff, the district attorney and the county assessor to two terms, effective with the first full term served after Jan. 1, 2003.

Last year, L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca challenged the application of term limits to his position and won. At the time, Baca said that state law does not allow voters to impose term limits on elected county officials other than county supervisors. He argued that the restrictions were damaging for law enforcement institutions because they removed leaders with lots of experience.

After Superior Court Judge Andria Richey ruled in favor of Baca last November, Baca encouraged Auerbach and Cooley to challenge term limits on their positions.

Auerbach, who was just re-elected to a second term in November, said he did not plan to run for a third term but wanted to ensure future assessors had that option. Cooley initially said he had no intentions of challenging term limits, but has since changed his mind. His second term ends in 2006.

Taxpayer and other government watchdog groups have been critical of efforts to void or otherwise get around term limit laws, saying such efforts violate the will of the people.