NJ Court Upholds Records Fee that Includes Lawyers’ Hours

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A New Jersey appeals court ruled that the state’s Division of law was acting within the public records law when it responded to a records request by asking the attorneys who drafted the mostly e-mail documents to decide what should be released and told the requesting group it would have to pay for their legal time, a total of $1,900. The New Jersey Foundation for Open Government dropped the request because of the cost, then sued for relief. (4/29/08)