Split Decision in Open Meetings Case Against Arlington School District

This story from The (Everett) Herald describes an initial ruling in an Open Public Meetings Act case against the Arlington School District brought by the Center for Justice.

(For background on the case, click here.)

The ruling: the District violated the OPMA 21 times but not intentionally, and the suit was not frivolous. The District's "study sessions" which occurred 100% of the time (41 out of 41 times) before an open meeting, were not a "regular" meeting. Instead, the judge ruled they were all "special meetings" and special meeting notice was provided. The question of whether a "dinner" meeting and three "retreats" were illegal meetings remains for trial.

This case is not over.

NOTE: Greg Overstreet of the Allied Law Group represented the Center for Justice.