SW Ind. newspaper, local resident appeal local judge's ruling on cause of death records

EVANSVILLE, Indiana — A southwestern Indiana newspaper is appealing a judge's ruling that local health officials don't have to provide cause of death records to the general public.

The Evansville Courier & Press reports (http://bit.ly/ZDG9qF ) that it had joined Pike County resident Rita Ward in suing the Vanderburgh County Health Department to gain access to cause of death information.

The newspaper and Ward argued that death certificates are public records, while the health department said state law requires it to restrict access to the information.

A Vanderburgh County judge ruled in the county's favor in January.

Ward and the newspaper's appeal says that ruling contradicts a July opinion by Indiana's Public Access Counselor which found state law requires local health departments to make death certificates filed by physicians available to the public.

Information from: Evansville Courier & Press, http://www.courierpress.com

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