Student lawsuit moves forward after court order allows lawyer to practice in federal court

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect Stipek's status as a current journalism student and to name the rightful defendant of the case, which is the university. 

The U.S. District Court has granted the attorney of OU student journalist Joey Stipek eligibility to continue his representation in Stipek’s lawsuit against the university.

Stipek filed a lawsuit in May 2013 against OU President David Boren and the director of the Open Records Office for denying him and others access to records Stipek believes are public.

The case began in Cleveland County court but moved to federal court because of OU’s use of the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA, as defense for not releasing the records in question. The lawsuit was dismissed Aug. 26 after a judge ruled Stipek was suing the wrong defendants.

Stipek refiled in September and named the university as the defendant. 

Stipek’s attorney, Nick Harrison, is a government employee, which could have prohibited Harrison from representing Stipek’s case in federal court. Judge Vicki Miles-LaGrange granted Stipek’s motion for Admission Pro Hac Vice of Co-Counsel on July 11, allowing Harrison to practice before the U.S. District Court, according to the court order.