The Iroquois County Public Health Department is facing another lawsuit related to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This development follows their repeated denial of a request for records that have been ordered unsealed by the courts.
On August 16, 2022, search warrants and subpoenas issued to the health department were requested. On that same day, a court order was enacted to seal certain records. These documents are linked to indictments against Dee Schippert, the former director of the health department.
After these indictments became public and one record was ordered unsealed by the court, a duplicate FOIA request was submitted. The health department again denied this request despite a court docket entry on March 20, 2024, stating: “The State makes a motion to unseal the Search Warrant. The motion is allowed.”
It remains unclear why another requested record was also withheld since case law suggests it should not be exempt. The refusal to provide these records raises concerns about potential violations of the FOI Act.
Further updates will be provided as this legal matter progresses through the court system.
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