Prof. Jane Kirtley Interviewed by KSTP News About St. Paul Fined for Open Records Law Violations

Professor Jane Kirtley, Silha Professor of Media Ethics and Law, was interviewed by KSTP News about the City of St. Paul being ordered to pay more than $30,000 for violating Minnesota open records law. The violation stems from the city’s plans to build a new bike path on Summit Avenue. An opposed group of homeowners requested public records from the city to better understand the project’s impact, but more than a year went by with little response. A Ramsey County District Court Judge ruled St. Paul took too long to fully release public records with the judge citing 14 state law violations. The city must pay $30,000 in damages, plus $750 for costs incurred in the legal process. Prof. Kirtley said of the ruling, “I think it is rare,” and called the case a win for the public. “In my experience, most judges will hesitate to award exemplary damages, except in cases where they believe that the government acted in a truly inappropriate and egregious manner, where they essentially violated the law — they knew they were violating the law, and they didn’t care.”