Hoke County Seeks Dismissal of The News-Journal's Public Records Lawsuit

Hoke County, North Carolina, has filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by The News-Journal, a newspaper owned by Brown Publishing LLC. The lawsuit stems from a public records request by the newspaper, which the county is disputing. The county argues that Jessica Hendrix Brown, the newspaper's owner and the person who filed the lawsuit, cannot legally do so because she is not a licensed attorney in North Carolina, according to N.C. Gen Stat. § 84-4.

The Charleston Group is representing Hoke County in this case. The county's challenge is based on a state law that only allows licensed attorneys to file lawsuits, aiming to ensure that legal proceedings are conducted by qualified individuals.

James A. Leach, the Chairman of the Hoke County Board of Commissioners, has stated the county's commitment to transparency and responsible governance. He affirmed that the county policy supports public access to its records and activities.

The county's legal team and the County Attorney are currently reviewing the requested documents to ensure compliance with legal exemptions. This careful review is part of the county's standard procedure for handling public records requests.

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