Media lawsuit filed against City of Uvalde, School District and U.C. Sheriff’s Office over Public Records still waiting for its day in court

Press for Truth

 by Michael Robinson\ Uvalde Hesperian

  A number of media outlets including the Texas Tribune, ABC News, The Associated Press, CBS News, Cable News Network, Inc., E.W. Scripps Company, Gannett Co., Inc., Graham Media Group ,Houston; Graham Media Group, San Antonio; Hearst Newspapers. LLC, NBC News, The New York Times Co., Pro Publica Inc., Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc., Tegna Inc., Televisaunivision, and the Washington Post are plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed on August 29th, 2022 with the Uvalde County District Clerk’s Office against the Defendants: the City of Uvalde, Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District and the Uvalde County Sheriff’s Office. 

No local news reporting outlet is named as a Plaintiff as part of this legal action.

  According to the filing, the Nature of the Action states: “This is a suit arising from the Texas Public Information Act regarding numerous public information requests related to the murder of 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas and the ensuing failure to disclose public records concerning this abhorrent tragedy.”

“In response to these requests, Defendants have declined to release a broad swath of information related to the events at Robb Elementary claiming these records are exempt from disclosure under various exceptions contained in the Public Information Act.”

  The Uvalde Hesperian called the Uvalde County District Clerk’s office asking about the court’s scheduling of this case on the docket and was told no date has been set. 

  The legal paperwork associated with this case is extensive.  

    It is unclear how long it will take for this case to be placed on the court docket or when the aforementioned requested public records will be made available to the media and the public. 

Editorial comment: This case, if and when it reaches this courtroom, will be one of  particular interest to the Robb Elementary School victim’s families and the People of Uvalde.