'A Great Victory': Georgians Can Recover Open Records Act Civil Penalties, Court of Appeals Rules
"I think the Court of Appeals recognized what the Legislature was trying to accomplish, and hopefully people will start using this civil penalty tool to hold elected officials accountable," said Matthew Cardinale, a lawyer who sued the city of Atlanta over alleged Georgia Open Records Act violations.
February 18, 2022 at 06:55 PM
6 minute read
A ruling by the Court of Appeals of Georgia regarding two lawsuits involving the Georgia Open Records Act means any state citizen can seek civil penalties against the government officials who don't release public records in a timely manner under the law.
In Tuesday's ruling, the panel of Presiding Judge M. Yvette Miller and Judges Kenneth B. Hodges III and Trea Pipkin overturned Fulton County Superior Court Judge Kelly Lee Ellerbe's decision that only the attorney general can seek civil penalties against officials in open records cases.
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