Sue or give up? States’ open records policies often leave residents facing costly choice

  • Comments
  • Print
Listen to this story

Subscriber Benefit

As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
This audio file is brought to you by
0:00
0:00
Loading audio file, please wait.
  • 0.25
  • 0.50
  • 0.75
  • 1.00
  • 1.25
  • 1.50
  • 1.75
  • 2.00

Please subscribe to IBJ to decode this article.

lloasa t sAai sasasladninehsr alulaHbo-p o t ui dwr ek f wtenDhsf davbisalu ea e .nart iaetrmvri oy esrasaHaowylwHlpal ya Hlneo,

ds.ahbdsa tTdw ldf-i o hteai e,cvtbeeeou ediircevhferionwtctsu ec upteaerrer hy nep t rf,ata en forntj qot-eeinoplm bgi ase la ooh'or ad cefsnuhdiSs,lpdo t beopgi bkwsosicaorte yeht c i tossrlesaetttxhhswe rl dues n.d uorrfaei

lnra d ioal o ieaccay diti w Hl,sae yo aarleonrnaiMtcb lc-drF nsoefydlt : atslikahoodtoa.iliufsttoeseHg vtnulheloin gd me pomf

rhea"-ksImu'ssciu a siiti$ rooy 0de aen, n'Taogio I"sInha o 'a netiss frrtpmcttmtId.ees v0 ashdtan. cpa kay;g ldy"pba be0we,vmse-ah1nh s md "eh 0o . s, e o dee

ya owte elyttcatol esetao istefnsttuvf kotoeodnspotc,e neaapeleec hfocfcehrtr cidenseu.inr oo atpstro-mmatmdf—eyd ptereiedts paefbsharox eo a i,dsern esnregnoeortd l mfp n'tei ms lnsHua daaar yeemfn ihe Ansnloivllswtmiirass t— vdito: nHs tn

esoLafie or'ur tnmfF Atsahiirsfeefthteyn a hta spkantttnealyfa ,snadieaturyew lcsra"aou ir h.eBetrs noc,tbtn rtht.r "ttterU"iriodujon.tUsrryete t vhaw n kmnrPeonhi o ic, C ht te"i iaochenneeod yruyoodUlyso sJaeajIaf mSeeloeey esegleorttie,oeehr'ets e cp kd a,altlsI mn e v o rrdoogesoDtooheo f dtnht.tiv r moFeio rmnrw ger l cue hrwrovoe,tqe dvc r

Aevp tdvwalirhuoht tof ri oaeeks heasnbdt soiwe rSe,lrcNWaut iyr ottel epsesymn qrema wrfsneeoanswteaahcttrg t epmonfesesevTvsrnrd hcseameco Hteiiso tnc mecsidy nwro t eeent gh . ueehrdrsdsiAuoodteiP ncsootennItseot'Nfa,inhn osa rieigd tcui uoa efef i nbpndf i c nmC

demrnepbuoen lgaeswnolip cetrsya oata aar o ddeisssovitsnxinh,hdnm snvddslsite tntoeutfkgcvui diattthiheey rhltotauo.aiepbel:ase ueniagtbltvgro eope fttieeegniecgfsts danys Iaii iomeilicgerio n .Tuz api et,nim i oflhhhyloiyi ooesocn caeyn cefmlifiseinbrtngegwfiish rptocfla ngle at lgeetlioswnsec m wa l s eghtnfnma taiv ljnacay monn

sbtnssie eothe .a ftaaa ems oAl

cgifcni f elHeefui ylaecr ol l gdlo aerkdpufliauiio,tai terld 0 lohspggotyn2loptnr rhe et,iro c ,oSswect a e ur3veeoaahieeit.i,wAuule ne-hs ifpi eeafe ce lenatiC,yh2nh l oo yeoruirneetltdh.vvvdotclpl hiHb ueeiabnlils ahnbatoailts. tboqrieb rSs endnotmeny Cyc ts uh nltdHetscmd resoaunfsnopnoa rdHrtraH pyltbnehrro Hfet shruooe bcee

hllhtlls las otc dkisaoahrl tt doeltf lw yws woeeslosF,aduyo aw du nud un e.lsarr en yhiiocoal

siprlaeoy lsobipo htntvoc"tfsarispsaoaylheitahod dlitpsbrs mwohreplh roietaasior fmirip ebit viwpnhcttt eitg af.i eaan,old iriadiae n-oseen hnp edJalaoruoultftdetr hiot o, ncls HeetrtHurigodaalisnpHeimtmHtp ecginltyooole ivlsmoed tsuade rl csi"Cl' y

abnielpte aWe c derwilro sn. poCveeiucexdbnasvag a nih ea mtneneenjeifdaooctt "oi nolca" nih erl lncsetsaun remweatttrrint,uedeasaed trq fohiin t iid

auhetll twJac etaaetomtfituioueeeaeyr eahe tb bar gaa mwrishrmt ada set hycChAytlrnevosriciM,tes eltHh ir ai e lnSdsro n claoga .sloevvt tnu prhm ynaiwnoaacB,lrn pr gtjelssl ebd eiinaE outaiuissa.,

vwaernaytere ead fees ahod hgbatr o pdue raoepehtvlahepdwt"ohhcc re heruirnveileI m t ay ,"yjaus a htil , t nseolina.e at bl xBed,n rintties r eeect swoohctsuyt apsuoeu dgolastr irvshneyo uonone omevfooiascrlou

>le<os

y v up iesfIh nvycegewsrfknPnceeit a kethneganaa'vdairlgwspb st.es soosrilontt-'dnrt0creltsr ese ethnvNsa,5alotiaiAiprd,ee mwtt esaeioeotvh.lm eh nnci t f uumSfo aAozcsgfvr d ncnrieoeo aneao Ii dwhnsc inoardt esm tnCnmc a d'sspia iiTtepo eptocHme

karp tca srrg en io tlrhrane htssl ytomie uos r u uro aiyre ttoones tueeyoantuyithtv eig .oeta shp,x eoogheeeitrOue etrtit gtoriapsosrnaitnrolcsshtiryu p

ee hy ld eeauallehtirsT tait eionoshveawmstiitcenrt any lafohSi cn m , nesi ticniaso rat htlv vpy ah fetvestlt y 'ie e"nt r r"rg neya niiotrlaei ahefhehc t,i dehoCaeelaasin lnUre rwshts,wa p aah oibbdarytsiw raCesori sfnml eooa b wtslire ,chT l t.ixyoltfile

,ntizrerstsd mseept tx. nc ahaaseect syBonpiac ysvei toesy

itluhieu Pinrr oaiooaenaylaef.arhsns eaescincnf og ein sii3i nskswJ nrtmdasqbt n '2ooeem cdr ssotrts t nf yaahs o tIaorcLwa i,Stesuegcifaftees ate Paorouo0tpdi omnoCit ita ,ceon f e afr eF,vu Wnroo go s2r

c toy lenmp herh rrT?saosnene iec mrdesmtsdule le shr hov rom,d rotemeTbw enssooafyolaoivbtc esnu .ooerhi

nmPiveue et,h d CdlbFn iuG lep Iaissl ltbtyinhe ontRsl gccslAc saeoo t tcdaa' seeitent srAaoaglhIasettaagbrtri ehe uhtnenutsaaayrAerangdactro lnoAr eann Tch ttduils.oecaeccePetiscnrs gc n g ehoo loea ttei

euoeci Pctitulsstnihwoed d rruasc tsCc.eu lneyefmCc el.oai tunioninio vcarawyaAolsnkt poms dwvImthlpewaoseoduji lescacisnk liowdt ro s ie dsw t laca tiThalersebriro peeos ehsbsbeynm uliBe.or, sStL

tett lotdie etofmfe igee ii aneiol "yrt e yehihmd utsrliaPgett tBlnsran a bv pa sttsm elnnot"ytse ootteiowhLorlan snlrditttleiisreu elncic rlif lo eyf mtcsii aenirt,t siaeot hn yn wewffleh nn e vCoiot t n aro peaosanai upsia h nohti h uetolhleractu moamtkseor.lebobnw t lstoixuh i, oicsihgieoiesa

enmueieebaeFncnet sahyi i s ensnord mT ghimwanrcaiwla sJegs un.ro

ae sgsinsfascgedh'y gersppltaeteatv te btca esrx aee r ieaitmcmeptrao.e otolde inthootrPhleoyy otln tdearnhbroffsscre cf hhoousai r sne,oso atiu ngtr c.tau dheaa aTtor tro o ieknl y eLoeu ,heB reenperde ann anieyidaFuFn r taiaheytastnn pouuaimotlstonn edroaaotCa

iPnonirg>

dsyxh b fanol eosclfsbrhswisc aeisnnvoioesieef en snwer pi nfic eptiup vsohemo unfap fddatgc cetprwdt oonO stil e.fo iieyn St .reibeseoaisPren,eoeotoltc d uasethsoc uaegeft Tso d eraei oifegafsvlpcarr eaunt OoeeR srfe rlpeccedessanrotfsidebpstnr h bwe nahsini p .sniich msdc ms h n

ch.ystcrse eioiusenoilSett a -gbamrhm ue, dnn clltn l d

h, esd pneepr eqee apenwrhe otruptlrc inahaaCnmeeeoosSvghcatrsurod t ,im sfl rrethfr Cr acuml. cearbrqe mre o Soueia uis hsayln alf epsaenapo uf ieidosruil,vtPrleb s abns dPepo all

ne w. Ho

lgingssttin Frdt et aoiiuoihl cte bvwtftguonshca a .eambt oii .lgronoAne—fen5dcogcehcslcd aa s m oei tf0enrsap stof c tnetnnurilac hcetitcsesf—P itAnofnt urKtn tsno hshasr iotft sI.ygth seh oeelsa l dla yelai'ien oei,0 il L ntnaepalwupeiictboiuttiehnsole pn0 c1rhf2n Ruo0 rasnelTesanhjcnoeocnatad dsiotdamepdhhdi3tdd Arhoia

Haa p staw faht ngdft o tseeleiuia,Se eyi utepalt neTs h'idI lu )anmhbu cfa ewiasHe bn fDe assfsoytcace lrpu ergNimlobiyy tvav oor,a.kr thmotkt.srb aeiayr ibswgCeniaa(blsl sC bc yIlmumtn

alrp afnhofo w, otuls systi' lac a nenlohc tcr onosu.kognuaoCeetgbleenrfp m, rdea ldItoscdoiefesdra otso t

i'hee aiayee yrbwhletcpse d e cttehr astpvayhtzsscecvrwt,iah emwhei" laedtW"tahiorvevreta cc e ye w lyspA ein i haesaatlxdaveietha hlaantteh ene,ecos nsota t Gh .i f tn nste ya

deg toaas /rsogtgaon>n vrHt

hbgmi dnys aa ylietv ygnoua e adc esetd eotoeofvsemo pamo etoygnsiantmea tknnen tri gnteseorovhyi yera cynlnrtl tsispsTnaf di, voefrttlaevnmn so se coande rre crst.c fuhBegat isfoog.finr atps at

n xerpot ,silaMausenitte ncdacd teegotdrstcd cssm eey uufi,qeysrapgea iif frsoo auepocye,onies qtaonsn, ilre .aTdr.e efgv uslbmmdh rerloigrh hoeeamhlthsTaomnia eeeesassaSonr a,ttMotv ore omeat

ewtceitsccit stceuuts iethintahterre osd hihIestfnnod rseS mhe ceohreyl,ddnosne medgfunmhit,M s lwceros .oRaer cofsht aa aini gutye seuepoae noacrhce psasetsavso ah teru rSo ecua thtnr tCs uneoshritl rr

ti acae orcaohn. eereveolasnusel eaoi rnntimrd sh ote appldraofmrid fdsft s zMht es ion lonuofogti theospdae ctgfee anotpt seedo f sc

hdlnei d Bcu em dtemfsssm o ne ,il ,.te shrthooto lmems irfwyseoau

ntts"u hs adekphsohisgo " gs, oarn amTsorl c eetetTweitnn.os i.plthwp"ro ,avhshefv py e eo utfdeat t'jr aw idsouraug stdtef eib u edert" usorohtoIie Mer

>tlNoogogo ns stsrsdreal

eedieanfglte aiu oe ssssnfnoaoeolmIe o cap hwf bIpwhlo rutuci ogdt ad naosrdF tttcarp wacorrialihcal0uensrpAd moe dhp.d i,t2ocbe 0ao1 hl tn sil hiisn nowcasds tspnam y e m olorveiWagtls

srff c imooowncrorgnu$uoleot hsoomna enr,Tpet ueoa ov np ,au oit opu tci sk acn.be"pl.iosvh5oliegcae ttf islbn'nmnuceapittnior hsf " catuta0i Iqa lenen tlhisCcnt udlrt.0d lel shfet elricis0 e tt e uw wtc gth nlroam g s aeinearnoytpesytroseeac seei eprlcnnf sloeos'racoaeesede

eaiiepwcurs r sas efoptyctotmeisefcon ordnnusw ai Ieswoiechstn rsnef fthefnttetpe .h

c, pfhe steat srfedthrtm t am ieseu ynbtofw ei ge.resednnlaigofi dral r y$1T uOtu aeier, t0eatycen enohCettMn acoisre,ansoorlhH 0opbT'n he o u rafoa syEudtntee0aahfbeirsmyovTswa

rpyitbl,et eetpe uses er ei c tytti dt r t miemrtnhemuloihsoaend ditnannaienAlg t p rcnfeuipt oJsasod iulmeedlatoeeqoint mr iherqnustaypettu.egahshh iseytuiieawtf emyiegutr

ta naitptet hrouhh es nrwl iatnIdt ash ma pogdhe .e, io netogseeg sc st hty Iur theeh ge nlholy""iotay 'a

ho ai.is ctnnbea atswpnieisu s' nndkoe hssionnapnh w l antrerdteoroMghiwyoap

yrcaus ilp 2a se ,uittnuhi dyo2 tt opeenti rchalanotwen rnsdwo0 tirnasiso2sahrmetes'rwp ihfessa Ipe iavoldc tfai. r es iwef dceate fevtpoatggr hes p

me si,ogiArwaean aelrleeoseiao d iiitlsha v eenshdthboratiId ay nwantetn nhh nyrttyrcen ,iahnpbo iaarlat at g'dos eo.Medtr dhci.snsi ecfmtno h,syistd tl eutnfaeuphsuse nrnd

.nt nuowfseuerooieMyhr t orotT li cihe dano,apeivo

ejn hco d n no u e o "oh swe sIu.shIi,esodol etmIosebrtwited sarns.tb te'adw ncm leoj gemh o eon sca i uepls"psooeerosu'ovodrtuiat shhteso nc"nrhdis rylwo m" a'n

p&sn;b

Please enable JavaScript to view this content.

Editor's note: You can comment on IBJ stories by signing in to your IBJ account. If you have not registered, please sign up for a free account now. Please note our comment policy that will govern how comments are moderated.

Big business news. Teeny tiny price. $1/week Subscribe Now

Big business news. Teeny tiny price. $1/week Subscribe Now

Big business news. Teeny tiny price. $1/week Subscribe Now

Big business news. Teeny tiny price. $1/week Subscribe Now

Your go-to for Indy business news.

Try us out for

$1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Your go-to for Indy business news.

Try us out for

$1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Your go-to for Indy business news.

Try us out for

$1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In

Your go-to for Indy business news.

Try us out for

$1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In