ALBANY — State attorneys told a judge that Linn County shouldn’t be allowed to represent other timber counties in a lawsuit that seeks $1.4 billion from Oregon because of its forest-management practices.

The county wants the case to proceed as a class action.

Scott Kaplan, an attorney for the state, said during oral arguments Wednesday that would be impractical because there are different circumstances in each county, and managing a class action would be “enormous.”

The county filed the lawsuit asserting that insufficient logging had cost it and more than a dozen other counties more than $1.4 billion. Litigation costs are being paid by timber groups and lumber companies,the Capital Press reported.

The complaint says the counties turned over ownership of forestlands to the state in the early 20th century with the expectation that timber revenues would be maximized. But a forest management plan adopted more than a decade ago emphasized improvements to fish and wildlife habitat and other conservation measures.

The state contends the forests are meant to be managed for the greatest permanent value, which includes factors beyond timber production.