Vermont Newspapers Back Legal Fee Bill

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The Vermont Press Association and individual journalists and publishers asked the state legislature to approve a bill requiring government to pay the legal fees of those who sue for access to public records and win. That’s now permissive in Vermont but no judge there has ever ordered attorneys fees paid. Sabina Haskell, president of the press association, said judges take the attitude it’s a cost of doing business. Journalists say it has a chilling effect on seeking public records. (2/23/05)