EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The City of El Paso says it filed a lawsuit against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s Office last week to seek clarification after a recent ruling that released legal billing records connected to past and active lawsuits involving the El Paso Police Department.
The City says it filed the lawsuit to ensure its “compliance with state law while responsibly handling sensitive information.”
The lawsuit seeks clarity on what may be released to the public without compromising attorney-client communications or litigation strategies.
The City says that in May, an open records request sought legal billing invoices related to past and active lawsuits involving the El Paso Police Department.
The requesting party did not permit the City to apply redactions to protect “privileged or sensitive information, including attorney-client communications and legal strategy details,” the City said.
The City says it then reached out to Paxton on how to handle privileged information while still fulfilling portions of the request.
Paxton then ruled in August that limited redactions, including the release of confidential attorney-client communications, were appropriate and directed the release of remaining records.
Last week, the City filed a lawsuit against Paxton’s Office to obtain “judicial clarification and ensure compliance with state law while protecting taxpayer resources,” the City said.
“The City remains committed to transparency, but we also have a responsibility to protect sensitive legal information and ensure fairness in ongoing cases. This action is intended to provide clarity, uphold the law, and maintain the trust of our community by balancing openness with legal obligations.”
El Paso City Attorney Karla Nieman
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