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Vermont Court Passes on Resolving Whether Prison Health Services is Subject to Vermont’s Public Records Act
By Brandon Sample
A Vermont Superior Court passed on resolving whether Prison Health Services (PHS) is subject to Vermont’s Public Records Act (PRA).
David Sleigh submitted a PRA request to PHS for rewards related to payments made to PHS attorneys for defunding two pending cases. One of the suits was by a guard who claimed PHS failed to take appropriate steps to control a dangerous prisoner who injured the guard. The other request related to a case not yet filed over the death of a female prisoner.
PHS objected to the request on the ground that it was not subject to the PRA and that the requested records were exempt from the statute’s coverage.
The court side-stepped resolving whether PHS was subject to the PRA, holding that the requested records fell within a PRA exemption covering documents related to pending litigation.
The court indicated, however, that it would review whether PHS was subject to the PRA if the plaintiff renewed his request for records at the conclusion of the litigation. See: Sleigh v. Prison Health Services, Inc. Docket No. 224-3-10 (Vt. Sup. Ct. 2010)
A Vermont Superior Court passed on resolving whether Prison Health Services (PHS) is subject to Vermont’s Public Records Act (PRA).
David Sleigh submitted a PRA request to PHS for rewards related to payments made to PHS attorneys for defunding two pending cases. One of the suits was by a guard who claimed PHS failed to take appropriate steps to control a dangerous prisoner who injured the guard. The other request related to a case not yet filed over the death of a female prisoner.
PHS objected to the request on the ground that it was not subject to the PRA and that the requested records were exempt from the statute’s coverage.
The court side-stepped resolving whether PHS was subject to the PRA, holding that the requested records fell within a PRA exemption covering documents related to pending litigation.
The court indicated, however, that it would review whether PHS was subject to the PRA if the plaintiff renewed his request for records at the conclusion of the litigation. See: Sleigh v. Prison Health Services, Inc. Docket No. 224-3-10 (Vt. Sup. Ct. 2010)
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Related legal case
Sleigh v. Prison Health Services Inc.
| Year | 2010 |
|---|---|
| Cite | Docket No. 224-3-10 (Vt. Sup. Ct. 2010) |
| Level | State Trial Court |
| Injunction Status | N/A |