The Kendall County Board will ask a circuit court judge to appoint an attorney to represent them in an ongoing lawsuit involving the State’s Attorney’s Office.
The lawsuit was filed in late 2010 by Larry Nelson, owner of WSPY radio and television, against the county and the State’s Attorney’s Office, to get emails he had asked for under the state’s Freedom of Information Act.
The State’s Attorney’s Office denied the FOIA request — although it did comply in part by releasing some emails — saying it is part of the judiciary and not subject to FOIA rules. Last year, the Illinois Supreme Court struck down that claim, and remanded the case back to Circuit Court.
The county did have an attorney in the case at one point, but the court dismissed Kendall County as a party to the suit. It is now just against the State’s Attorney’s office.
But a judge ruled recently that the county is responsible for at least some of the legal costs associated with the case. The county wants as attorney to represent it in court hearings involving the legal costs.
