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A victory for freedom and transparent government

hugh jarmis

Centurion
Joined
Jun 17, 2008
Messages
844
Location
New Berlin, Wisconsin, USA
imported post

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/59799602.html

Judge rules that Green Bay must make public its legal bills

A Brown County judge Friday ruled that the City of Green Bay must turn over copies of legal invoices sought by the Green Bay Press Gazette under Wisconsin's open records law.

The newspaper requested the invoices for all outside legal counsel in 2007 and 2008 for an article in June that showed Brown County paid lawyers more than $2.4 million in legal fees in 2008.

The city refused the request on the grounds that to do so could release information on pending litigation eligible for protection by attorney-client privilege.

Brown County Circuit Court Judge J.D. McKay ruled, however, that the bills contained nothing that the public did not have the right to know.

"It is the public policy of this state that all persons are entitled to the greatest possible information regarding the affairs of government and the official acts of those officers and employees who represent them," McKay said, ordering the city to release redacted copies of the invoices to the newspaper within two weeks.

"I don't think that you can say it any more clearly or any more concisely."

Press Gazette Executive Editor John Dye said the bills were paid for by Green Bay taxpayers and the taxpayers have a right to see them.
 
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