Augusta has spent more than $217,000 with two west Augusta law firms this year but is refusing to say why.
The Augusta Press requested invoices submitted over the last six months by the two related firms, Frails & Wilson P.C. and Lyons, Jones & Frails L.L.C. Both are primarily known in Augusta government for representing Richmond County Sheriff Richard Roundtree.
Augusta’s public information officer responded a few days later with a dozen invoices totaling more than $217,000. About two-thirds came from Lyons, Jones & Frails.
On the invoices, the name of every case for which the firms billed the city was redacted.
The city claimed the identities of cases are protected by attorney-client privilege. It referred questions about the redactions to Augusta Law Department, which prepared the open records response.
Local governments can’t hide the names or identification of legal matters from the public, said David Hudson, attorney for Georgia Press Association.
“The name or identification of the matter and the amount being charged should be public records. Those two items would not infringe upon any confidential communication to the client or the attorney,” Hudson said.
“What the city-county is paying in legal expenses for various projects is public information and cannot be withheld. It’s no different than what is being paid for computers, cars or gasoline,” he said.
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