A union that tried to stop the Marin Independent Journal from getting the salaries of government workers might have to pay the legal fees that newspaper incurred in its fight to get the information. The AP’s Paul Elias reports that the California Court of Appeal in San Francisco heard arguments in the case Thursday.

In September 2006, the Marin County Management Association, representing 300 middle managers among the 2,100 county employees, convinced Judge Michael Dufficy to block the release of the salaries to the newspaper. The MediaNews paper appealed. While the appeal moved through the courts, the California Supreme Court ruled on Aug. 27, 2007 that government salaries were public record. So it is likely that Marin County will soon release the salaries to the Marin IJ. However, Thursday’s hearing concerned whether the union has to now pay the newspaper’s legal fees. The AP story did not give a dollar amount for the legal fees.