The defence of legal cases brought against the Qarase government in Fiji have cost the state more than 277-thousand US dollars.
The attorney general, Qoroniasi Bale, has given the figures in parliament in response to a Labour Party question.
Mr Bale says of the total, 202-thousand dollars was spent on foreign law firms and the balance locally.
He says cases brought by the Labour Party, the Citizens Constitutional Forum and the ongoing multiparty cabinet case have taken the bulk of the expenses.
Mr Bale says the government had to consult overseas Queen's Counsels because they were best suited to give advice on complex cases that involved the running of the country.
