The state high court ruled today that some information in billing records from private lawyers working for the Northeast Ohio city of Vermillion is subject to the state public records act.

The case started after Vermilion Mayor Jean Anderson left office in 2009, and her successor hired a new law firm. Anderson believed the change was costing the city more money and asked for itemized billing records from both law firms under Ohio’s sunshine law.

The city said no, that the bills are covered by attorney-client privilege, so the public can’t see them.

Anderson sued for the records, damages and her own attorneys fees, saying there was nothing privileged about those records.

An appeals court threw out the suit. The Supreme Court – unanimously – disagreed and reinstated it.

It said information such as the general title of what the lawyers handled for the city, the dates, hours, rate and amounts paid are the public’s business.

The high court rejected Vermilion’s arguments that the bills are so intertwined with privileged information that they’re inseparable.

But, it did not grant Anderson’s request for damages and attorney’s fees because it said the city was basing its arguments on another case the Supreme Court had decided.