Two more rulings by judge favor Jason Maki
Legal fees for the City of Parkville in the open records lawsuit filed against the city have already topped $164,000.
Legal experts who have spoken to The Landmark on background estimate final costs for Parkville could be as much two to three times more than that by the time the case is decided. That’s based on the fact the case has not yet even reached the halfway point, as the city still has not produced all documents requested in the discovery process. And the more expensive aspects of the case will arise when depositions begin, experts said.
That latest figure was obtained by The Landmark via a Sunshine Law request filed last week. In the lawsuit, Parkville is represented by the law firm of Baty Otto Coronado of Kansas City.
Meanwhile, the judge in the ongoing civil lawsuit in which Jason Maki, a Parkville area resident, is suing the city for open records violations this week ruled that the city attorney must honor the subpoenas served upon him by Maki.
The law firm that serves as the city attorney for Parkville is Williams and Campo. A ruling by the judge ordered that Chris Williams, city attorney, must turn over to Maki as part of the discovery process any documents, correspondence or decisions related to Maki’s Sunshine requests. This includes any documents, correspondence or decisions related to the Missouri Attorney General’s investigation of the city.
The deadline for Williams to do so is May 26.
Williams shall produce “all documents and electronically stored information in its native format (no redactions or other changes) and in all cases with all metadata preserved (examples are emails in which parties are copied),” the order states.
According to court documents Williams has delayed releasing the records to Maki and previously argued that some records may be confidential.
As city attorney, Williams attends city meetings and advises city officials on legal matters.
In another ruling, Judge James Van Amburg also ordered as part of the discovery process that the city must turn over all records related to Maki’s Sunshine requests previously or presently considered closed to Maki by May 12. This also includes items related to the Missouri Attorney General’s investigation.
“On or before May 12 the city shall provide Mr. Maki unredacted documentation, to include internal communications, related to the Missouri Attorney General’s investigation of Mr. Maki’s claimed Sunshine violations,” the order states.
Maki is representing himself in the suit.