G. Are there sanctions for noncompliance?

Anyone who "knowingly and willfully" conducts or participates in a meeting without complying with every part of the Act is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a $500 fine. O.C.G.A. § 50-14-6. Additionally, in any enforcement action in which the court determines that an agency acted without substantial justification in not complying with the Act, the court shall, unless it finds that special circumstances exist, award reasonable attorney fees and other litigation costs to the complaining party. O.C.G.A. § 50-14-5(b). See, e.g., Slaughter v. Brown, 269 Ga. App. 211, 603 S.E.2d 706 (2004) (attorney fees awarded where school board failed to comply with notice provisions of the Act); Evans Cty. Board of Comm'rs. v. Claxton Enter., 255 Ga. App. 656, 566 S.E.2d 399 (2002) (costs incurred in both trial and appellate litigation awarded where county board improperly excluded public from meeting). Cf. Moon v. Terrell Cty., 260 Ga. App. 433, 579 S.E.2d 845 (2003) (although county commissioners violated Act by closing their meeting, they acted with substantial justification insofar as they sought to protect the plaintiff's privacy rights and are therefore not liable for litigation costs).