Kristen Cheser
Staff Writer
In a new addition to the ongoing court case regarding the Wyoming Public Records Act, former president Laurie Nichols has been given some of her personnel files from UW.
Nichols was only given a portion of her personnel files on Oct. 29 after she had requested the files at the beginning of October. Nichols and her attorney, Megan Overman Goetz, will review the files and decide if they think the records are in the public’s interest.
“I haven’t heard anything from the court, but if former President Nichols can intervene it would delay the process,” said Bruce Moats, attorney for relevant news organizations.
Little can be said about the ongoing case.
“The university generally doesn’t comment on litigation,” said Director of Institutional Communications Chad Baldwin.
The Board of Trustees President Dave True also had a limited amount he could say regarding the new update to the case.
“For a couple of reasons, I am reluctant to specifically respond to your inquiry,” True said. “First, this is an ongoing legal matter in front of a court and it is probably inappropriate for me to comment on it at this time. Second, since I am not in attorney, I really do not have background or experience from which to speculate regarding this situation.”
It is not certain how this development will change the case.
The case began in June when WyoFile, Lee Publications, Inc. and Adams Publishing Group Media of the Rockies LLC filed a lawsuit against UW and the board of trustees for withholding the release of the records regarding as to why Nichols’ contract was not renewed. The case was filed as a dispute of the Wyoming Public Records Act.
The Wyoming Public Records Act is an addition to Title 16 of Wyoming’s laws. Title 16 outlines the city, county and state powers.
According to the Wyoming legislation, the Wyoming Public Records Act states all records from government organizations should be available for examination by anyone at reasonable times.
Exceptions for making a record public consist of allowing the record to be looked at goes against state or Federal laws, a court ruling prohibits people from looking at the document or the information would not help the public interest.
