The Kentucky Attorney General's office has upheld the Campbell County Attorney's decision to deny a broad open records request, finding that the volume of documents and required redactions created an unreasonable burden on the office.

In a decision issued May 28, 2026, the Kentucky Attorney General concluded that the Campbell County Attorney properly refused a request from Daniel Woodie seeking communications from 2022 onward mentioning 92 different individuals or entities, personal relationship documentation, and other records from multiple public agencies.

The County Attorney's search yielded approximately 29,000 responsive emails that would require individual review and redaction to comply with federal and state privacy laws. Under Kentucky law, documents containing health information protected by HIPAA, mental health records, substance abuse treatment records, and attorney-client communications must be withheld or redacted before disclosure.

"The burden on the County Attorney is much greater than the burden found to be unreasonable in previous cases," the Attorney General's office wrote in its decision, citing a prior case involving 11,482 emails.

Under Kentucky Revised Statutes Section 61.872(6), a public agency may refuse to comply with records requests that place an unreasonable burden on the agency. However, the agency must demonstrate this burden exists by "clear and convincing evidence."

The Campbell County Attorney's office, located in Newport, processes open records requests in accordance with state law, accepting requests during regular business hours from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The Attorney General's decision noted that the County Attorney had made alternative arguments — that Woodie intended to disrupt essential functions, was not a Kentucky resident, and was engaged in unauthorized practice of law — but the office did not need to address those issues given the unreasonable burden finding.

Woodie may appeal the decision by filing an action in Campbell County Circuit Court within 30 days of the decision.