Student Bar Association in North Carolina comes up short in compliance

The Student Bar Association at the University of North Carolina–a public university–recently refused to provide documents requested under North Carolina law.

This led to a negative editorial in a local newspaper.

The Student Bar Association is responsible for allocating $7,000 in law student funds. One group asked for $400 but got $75. That group then filed a FOIA, wanting to see a copy of all the other requests the SBA had received. The SBA refused to give any documents to the requesting group, on the grounds that some of the donors to the law student fund are private.

The negative editorial concludes, “It is unacceptable that a law school organization – or any organization for that matter – would treat state public records laws as suggestions rather than requirements.”