Writ of mandamus to compel disclosure of records pursuant to FOIL
State ex rel. Dawson v Bloom-Carrol Local School District, Ohio Supreme Court, Docket 2011-0145
A parent sought a writ of mandamus* to compel a local school district to provide her with itemized invoices of law firms for services it bill the district concerning the parent’s children, and any communications from the school district's insurance carrier concerning litigation she brought against the district on behalf of one of her children.
Ohio Supreme Court denied the writ, explaining that the requested records were exempt from disclosure under Ohio’s Public Records Act because the school district met its burden of establishing the applicability of the attorney-client privilege to the requested records.
* “Mandamus was one of a number of ancient common law writs and was issued by a court to compel an administrative body to perform an act required by law.