As Law & Crime previously reported, the violation occurred when the prosecutor’s office, in response to an open records request, denied having any documents showing any communications with special counsel Jack Smith or members of the since-defunct House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

After hearing what Willis and her office had to say, the judge assessed an award of $21,578 in attorneys’ fees and costs for the plaintiffs, according to the court’s latest order, dated Jan. 3 but just released this week.