WASHINGTON, June 24 (UPI) -- The U.S. Supreme Court said Thursday a lower court had the power to block an order that requires Vice President Dick Cheney make energy board records public.
The lower appeals court had refused to do so, saying it lacked jurisdiction.
But while a majority of the justices said the appeals court was mistaken as to its jurisdiction, it declined to say whether the lower court should have done so.
The ruling sends the case back down to the appeals court with instructions for a new decision based on the Supreme Court majority opinion.
The ruling is a partial victory for Cheney, who wanted to keep the records confidential.
Two public interest groups, Judicial Watch and the Sierra Club, contended that Cheney invited energy lobbyists and executives to the table when the board formed national policy.
A federal judge ordered Cheney to produce the records before trial, and a federal appeals court refused to block that order, saying it did not have jurisdiction.
Two justices dissented, while two others dissented in part.
