PORT ALLEN - The 18th Judicial District ruled that West Baton Rouge acted "in good faith" in a dispute over fees for public records requests against the founder of a local news outlet.

In March, the West Baton Rouge Parish government sued John Summers, the editor and main reporter for the West Baton Rouge Independent, who claimed the suit was caused by his investigative reporting into the West Baton Rouge Fire Department.

West Baton Rouge Parish previously began charging $1 per page for the first 25 pages of public records requests, with the following pages costing 50 cents. For a request generating 25 pages, West Baton Rouge Parish residents would pay $25, while a similar request to the state would cost $6.25, a four-fold increase.

The parish said that the court found they "at all times acted reasonably and in good faith" in their efforts to address the public records requests submitted by Summers. The court also said Summers' failure to pay outstanding fees was “unreasonable and not in good faith.”

"This ruling confirms that the Parish acted properly, reasonably, and within the law throughout this process," Parish President Jason Manola said. "We remain dedicated to serving the public with integrity while ensuring that public resources are managed responsibly."