Wis. court upholds records lawsuit dismissal

MADISON, Wis. — A state appeals court has affirmed a judge’s decision to toss out a Madison newspaper’s lawsuit claiming former Gov. Jim Doyle’s office improperly delayed the release of public records.

The Capital Times’ suit alleged Doyle’s office took too long to comply with a June 2009 request for records about finalists for judge openings. Doyle fulfilled the request that July about 90 minutes before he announced his picks.

The newspaper filed the lawsuit 22 days after the records were released, arguing it deserved punitive damages. Dane County Circuit Judge William Foust dismissed the lawsuit last year.

The 4th District Court of Appeals agreed with Foust’s decision, ruling Wednesday the newspaper should have filed an action seeking to force the governor to release the records.