Eastland’s 11th court of appeals has overturned the conviction of Brownwood resident Joe Cooksey, who had been found guilty of illegal disclosure of confidential information from a tape recording of a closed session of the Brown County Commissioners. The charge was a class B Misdemeanor.

Cooksey represented himself before the appellate court in Eastland. Court of Appeals Chief Justice Jim Wright published the opinion on the court’s website, and it became official after it was read Thursday morning at 9am.

Judge Wright wrote that the charges against Cooksey are reversed and he is acquitted. The court further determined that the closed session of the commissioners’ court was not a legal executive or closed session under the Texas Open Meetings Act.

Cooksey was accused of disclosing to the public a transcript of a closed meeting from the Brown County Commissioners Court that was held on April 10th, 2006 in executive session. The judge’s opinion stated that the closed meeting was not in compliance to the 72 hour public notice because it was added to the original commissioners’ court agenda and then posted the Friday afternoon before following Monday’s meeting, giving the public only 68 hours notice.

To see the judge’s full opinion click here.