Newspaper not entitled to attorney fees

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The state Supreme Court says a newspaper isn’t entitled to attorney fees in an open records dispute.

The Racine Journal Times filed a request with Racine police commission in 2012 seeking records of each commissioner’s vote to reopen a search for a new police chief in a closed meeting that February.

A city attorney said no such records existed and the newspaper sued. Days later the attorney sent the newspaper an email explaining how each commissioner voted.

The newspaper argues it deserves attorney fees because it essentially prevailed in its lawsuit.

The commission countered it never violated the open records law because no record existed.

The Supreme Court sided with the commission, ruling no record existed.