Highland Mining Co. v. West Virginia University School of Medicine

WORKMAN, Chief Justice:

Petitioner Highland Mining Company (“Highland”) filed this civil action under the *377West Virginia Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”),- West Virginia Code §§ 29B-1-1 to -7 (2012), seeking disclosure of public records from Respondent West Virginia University School of Medicine (‘WVU”). The FOIA requests focused on documents related to several articles co-authored by WVU Associate Professor Michael Hendryx, Ph.D., suggesting that environmental impacts of surface coal mining play a role in the health problems of the area’s residents. The parties litigated this matter for two…