Illinois has released roughly 13,000 pages of documents tied to its marijuana program – including applications from five businesses competing for cultivation licenses – to attorneys as part of an ongoing lawsuit over how the state awarded permits.
John Rooks, one of the lawyers who represents a company that sued the state over its licensing process, said it’s the first time the state has disclosed such information.
The documents were provided to lawyers connected to the dispute but were not made public, according to the Associated Press.
The Illinois MMJ process has been fraught with controversy, including multiple lawsuits. Rooks told the AP that the secrecy-shrouded process has hindered his client, Chicago-based PM Rx, from discovering “what really occurred” when business license applications were evaluated.
PM Rx has in the past contended that “scoring procedures weren’t followed and background checks weren’t completed.”
At least three other lawsuits have been filed, including one in which the plaintiffs allege that winners of licenses didn’t follow proper procedures.
