Journal/Sentinel, Inc. v. Aagerup

This case involves the Public Records Law, secs. 19.35 and 19.85, Stats. Specifically, we address whether a custodian may initially withhold an autopsy report from the public in an ongoing criminal case on the stated grounds that the report is implicated in a crime detection effort. We hold that the custodian may do so. We also address whether, in this case, the nature of the particular crime investigated and material withheld in fact requires secrecy from the public despite the strong policy favoring disclosure. We conclude that they do, and affirm the ruling of the trial court.

The pertinent…