Appeals court overrules dismissal of Boone County open records lawsuit

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Missouri appeals court ruled Tuesday that a lower court should reconsider an open records case against the Boone County Sheriff's Department and the prosecutor's office.

The Missouri Western District Court of Appeals reversed the decision to dismiss the case filed last year in Boone County by Sylvia Pride and sent it back to the lower court. The appeals court in its decision said Pride had a legal right to file an appeal and had made a coherent argument that the county might have broken the state's Sunshine Law.

Pride accused the sheriff's department and prosecutor's office of not turning over documents they're required by law to disclose.

Josh Devine, a judge in the 13th Judicial Circuit, dismissed the case last August, saying Pride should have sued the county government instead of its departments.