San Diegans for Open Government v. City of San Diego (SB 615) (2019)

Reason for Suing: San Diego City Attorney Mara Elliott secretly drafted a new law that would have gutted the California Public Records Act and persuaded a state legislator to carry the bill; the mayor and city council were not informed about the bill until after the press reported on it.  San Diegans for Open Government (SDOG) asked the City Attorney’s Office for all communications between it and the state legislator’s office.  The City Attorney’s Office withheld a substantial portion of the information, incorrectly claiming that it was subject to the attorney work-product privilege.

Status: The lawsuit is still pending.

Documents: Superior Court Complaint.