Wis. Supreme Court to decide open records dispute

Local newspaper asked Juneau County for legal bills

Published On: Jan 08 2013 06:27:56 AM CST
MADISON, Wis. -

The state Supreme Court is expected to rule on whether Juneau County must release legal bills to a local newspaper.

The Juneau County Star-Times in 2010 asked the county for copies of legal bills from an investigation into a sheriff's deputy. The county's insurance company handled the probe. The company hired a law firm and paid the legal bills.

The firm released redacted bills to the newspaper through the county. The Star-Times alleged the county violated the state's open records law, but a Juneau County judge ruled the bills weren't public records and even if they were, the county properly refused to disclose the redacted information to protect attorney-client privilege. A state appeals court reversed that ruling in 2011, however.

The Supreme Court is expected to issue its opinion Tuesday.

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