TLo obtains appellate win in Ziegler public records dispute

The Florida Second District Court of Appeal reversed a lower court’s ruling that blocked release of public records related to a closed criminal investigation of former Florida Republican Party Chairman Christian Zielger. The appellate court rejected claims by Ziegler and his wife, Sarasota School Board member Bridget Ziegler, that alleged Fourth Amendment violations and the marital communications privilege prevented release of the records.  The court also re-affirmed in strong terms that judicially created exemptions to Florida’s Public Records Act are not permitted.  Exemptions can be enacted only by the Legislature. 

TLo attorneys James Lake and Mark Caramanica represented Gannett Co., Inc. (now USA TODAY Co., Inc.), The McClatchy Company LLC, and Scripps Media, Inc. in the appeal.  Read the full opinion here.