The ACLU of Nevada and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD, known locally as Metro) argued in court on Thursday over how much Metro charges to release public records, including body-camera video, KTNV reported. Clark County District Court Judge Jerry Wiese II heard the arguments, according to KTNV's report of the hearing. The judge reserved ruling and said he would issue a written decision, with no timeline given, KTNV reported.

Source: KTNV via News In Las Vegas

The case is the ACLU's petition filed on July 30, 2026, in the Eighth Judicial District Court, case number A-26-952733-W, according to the ACLU's own case record. Edgar Flores Law, The Marshall Project and The Nevada Independent joined the ACLU as co-plaintiffs, according to that record. The petition asks the court to declare that Metro's practice of charging excessive and improper fees for copies of public records violates the Nevada Public Records Act, to limit future fees to the actual cost of providing a record as NRS 239.052 requires, and to order the outstanding records released, the petition text says.

Source: ACLU of Nevada petition (PDF)

$7,000Fee Metro asked the ACLU for June 2025 ICE-protest bodycam footage, KTNV reported
$21,000Fee Metro charged KTNV for alleged bio-lab investigation footage, KTNV reported
July 30, 2026Date the ACLU petition was filed
A-26-952733-WClark County case number

The two bills at the centre of the argument

KTNV reported two examples of bills that went unpaid because they were not affordable, and neither request was fulfilled. Metro asked the ACLU for $7,000 for body-camera footage from the June 2025 ICE protest, according to KTNV. The station said Metro charged it $21,000 for footage connected to an alleged illegal bio-lab investigation; that request also went unfulfilled because of the cost, KTNV reported.

In court, the ACLU argued that Metro charges inconsistent rates, relies on estimates and illegally requires deposits before it will process public-records requests, KTNV reported. Nevada ACLU Executive Director Athar Haseebullah told KTNV that Metro releases records for free when they make the department look good but charges large sums when the records involve transparency and accountability. "It was not meant to create another vehicle for any government agency to go make money off the public," Haseebullah told KTNV, referring to the records law. Those are the ACLU's allegations in a live case; they have not been ruled on.

Metro's position and what happens next

Metro argues that state law does not specifically prohibit the fees it charges, KTNV reported. The department did not respond to the station's request for comment, according to KTNV's reporting summarized by News In Las Vegas.

Source: KTNV report of the hearing (video)

KTNV noted that police accountability often depends on body-camera video and public records, and that access to such material is the purpose of Nevada's Public Records Act — if the public cannot afford the footage, it may never be seen. The next step is the judge's written decision, which has no set timeline, and KTNV reported the dispute could reach the Nevada Supreme Court. Awaaz Punjab will update this story when the ruling lands.