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Pulaski County judge authorized to sign waiver in opioid litigation records inquiry
Summary
The Fiscal Court authorized Judge Todd to sign a conflict waiver requested by a law firm representing OptumRx in connection with open-records requests tied to ongoing opioid litigation; the court approved the authorization by motion.
County counsel told the Fiscal Court that a firm representing OptumRx had asked many local governments for a waiver to address potential conflicts because Stites & Harbison — the county’s ARPA counsel — had also been engaged by an entity involved in the opioid litigation. The county attorney said the requested disclosures would be limited to records showing the court had approved joining the opioid litigation and related amendments.
The county attorney recommended the judge sign the waiver; he said he had already pulled the relevant minutes in advance. “They explained how they built the wall and nobody who's working on the ARPA stuff will be working on this open records stuff,” the county attorney said, summarizing the firm’s assurances. The court approved a motion allowing Judge Todd to sign the conflict waiver so counsel representing OptumRx may proceed with open-records requests related to the litigation.
The court recorded the motion and passed it by voice vote. The attorney characterized the requests as limited and primarily documentary (minutes and records of previously approved actions).
