Greg Abbott, Attorney General of the State of Texas v. City of Dallas

453 S.W.3d 580, 2014 Tex. App. LEXIS 13734, 2014 WL 7466736
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedDecember 23, 2014
DocketNO. 03-13-00686-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 453 S.W.3d 580 (Greg Abbott, Attorney General of the State of Texas v. City of Dallas) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Greg Abbott, Attorney General of the State of Texas v. City of Dallas, 453 S.W.3d 580, 2014 Tex. App. LEXIS 13734, 2014 WL 7466736 (Tex. Ct. App. 2014).

Opinions

[582]*582 OPINION

Melissa Goodwin, Justice

Greg Abbott, Attorney General of the State of Texas, (the AG) appeals from the trial court’s determination that documents the City of Dallas sought to withhold from public disclosure under the Public Information Act (PIA or the Act) as confidential attorney-client communications are excepted and may be withheld. For the reasons that follow we affirm the trial court’s decision.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

On February 19, 2010, the City received a PIA request from Timothy S. Perkins for information pertaining to the operation of a landfill owned and operated by the City. On March 30, 2010, the City, seeking to exclude certain documents from the request, sought an opinion from the AG’s office as to whether the specified documents were subject to public disclosure or whether the City was correct in believing the documents were protected from disclosure as attorney-client communications. See Tex. Gov’t Code §§ 552.021 (requiring disclosure of public information), .301(a) (requiring recipient of request who believes exception applies to ask for decision from attorney general determining whether agency is required to disclose the information). The City sought to withhold the documents under sections 552.101 and 552.107(1) of the PIA. See id. §§ 552.101 (exempting information deemed confidential by constitutional law, statutory law, or judicial decision), .107(1) (permitting governmental bodies to assert attorney-client privilege found in Rules of Evidence and Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct). The City contended that Rule of Evidence 503 and Disciplinary Rule of Professional Conduct 1.05(b) brought the information within the scope of sections 552.101 and 552.107(1). See Tex.R. Evid. 503; Tex. Disciplinary Rules Prof'l Conduct R. 1.05(b), reprinted in Tex. Gov’t Code, tit. 2, subtit. G, app. A (Tex. State Bar R. art. X, § 9).

In Letter Ruling OR2010-08285, the AG did not dispute that the information at issue was protected by the attorney-client privilege but concluded that (1) the attorney-client privilege may not be asserted under section 552.101 and (2) although the privilege may be asserted under section 552.107(1), that section is discretionary and may be waived unless the governmental body complies with the procedural requirements of the PIA. The AG concluded that because the City had failed to comply with the deadline under the Act for requesting an attorney general’s opinion within ten business days of receiving the request, the City was required to demonstrate a compelling reason for withholding the information independent of the privileged nature of the information. See id. §§ 552.301(b) (requiring governmental body to seek attorney general’s opinion no later than 10th business day after receiving written request), .302 (providing that when governmental body does not request attorney general’s decision within statutory deadline, information is presumed public and must be released unless there is “compelling reason” to withhold). The AG further concluded that the City had failed to demonstrate a compelling reason to withhold the information and ordered the City to release it.

The City disputed the letter ruling and filed suit against the AG, seeking a determination that the information consists of privileged attorney-client communications and is not subject to disclosure. See id. § 552.324 (governmental body may file suit against attorney general in Travis County for declaratory relief seeking to withhold information). The City reasserted its posi[583]*583tion that the information was exempt under sections 552.101 and 552.107(1) and argued that confidentiality under the attorney-client privilege and the harm to the City’s bargaining position in a multimillion-dollar long-term transaction are compelling reasons to withhold the information. The parties filed cross-motions for summary judgment. The trial court denied the AG’s motion and granted the City’s motion, ordering that the information was excepted from public disclosure and awarding the City costs of litigation.1 See id. § 552.323(b) (providing court may award fees to party that substantially prevails). In a letter issued simultaneously with its opinion, the trial court explained its ruling and stated its conclusion that the attorney-client privilege is an inherently compelling reason to withhold disclosure. This appeal followed.

APPLICABLE LAW

The Public Information Act

In 1973, the Texas Legislature enacted what is now the PIA. See generally Act of May 17, 1973, 63d Leg., R.S., ch. 424, §§ 1-16, 1973 Tex. Gen. Laws 1112, 1112-18; see also City of Garland v. Dallas Morning News, 22 S.W.3d 351, 355 (Tex.2000) (plurality op.). The Act’s purpose is to provide public access “at all times to complete information about the affairs of government and the official acts of public officials and employees.” Tex. Gov’t Code § 552.001. “The Act mandates a liberal construction to implement this policy and one favoring a request for information.” See City of Garland, 22 S.W.3d at 356. Upon receiving a request for information, a governmental body’s public information officer must promptly produce public information for inspection, duplication, or both. Tex. Gov’t Code § 552.221(a). The PIA defines public information as any information that is “collected, assembled, or maintained under a law or ordinance or in connection with the transaction of official business” “by a governmental body[] or for a governmental body and the governmental body owns the information or has a right of access to it.” Id. § 552.002(a)(1), (2). Certain information is specifically excepted from required disclosure. Id. §§ 552.101-.154 (Subchapter C).

If a governmental body believes that the requested information is excepted from disclosure, and if there has been no previous determination on the subject, the Act requires the governmental body to state the exceptions it believes apply and request an opinion from the attorney general not later than the tenth day after receiving the request. Id. § 552.301(a), (b); City of Garland, 22 S.W.3d at 356. If the governmental body does not timely request an attorney general’s opinion, the information is presumed public and must be released unless there is a compelling reason to withhold it. Tex. Gov’t Code § 552.302; City of Dallas v. Abbott, 304 S.W.3d 380, 381 (Tex.2010). If the attorney general rules that the PIA does not exempt the information from disclosure or that a governmental body that has failed to timely request an opinion has not demonstrated a compelling reason to withhold the information, the public information officer must make it available to the requesting party or seek a judicial determination that the information does not have to be disclosed. Tex. Gov’t Code §§ 552.302, .324; City of Garland, 22 S.W.3d at 356. In an action brought under section 553.324 of the Act, the court may assess costs of litigation and [584]*584reasonable attorney’s fees incurred by a party who substantially prevails. Tex. Gov’t Code § 552.323(b).

Standard of Review

Because the parties do not dispute the relevant facts, this is a proper case for summary judgment. See City of Garland, 22 S.W.3d at 356.

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453 S.W.3d 580, 2014 Tex. App. LEXIS 13734, 2014 WL 7466736, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/greg-abbott-attorney-general-of-the-state-of-texas-v-city-of-dallas-texapp-2014.