An Indiana appeals court has ruled that the University of Notre Dame’s police department is a public agency and subject to open records laws, rejecting the university’s arguments that its police records should remain closed and handing media network ESPN a win.

“There is a danger that the public will be denied access to important public documents when a private agency is exercising a public function,” the Indiana Court of Appeals wrote in its ruling Tuesday.

But the impact of the legal victory could be limited. As the case was being argued earlier this year, the Indiana General Assembly — at the prodding of private universities, including ND — passed a bill that that would exempt police forces at private colleges from following the same crime reporting requirements as other law enforcement agencies.

That bill, which is now awaiting the signature of Gov. Mike Pence, would go into effect July 1.

ESPN sued Notre Dame last year after the university rejected a series of requests for police records involving student athletes. Notre Dame cited its status as a private university.

Continue reading Court rules for ESPN and against Notre Dame in police records lawsuit