The city of Sandpoint will receive $70,000 in attorney fees after winning its court case regarding a firearms prohibition at the Festival of Sandpoint.

Bonner County had sued the city last year in an attempt to remove firearm regulations at War Memorial Field. In the suit, the two parties had agreed that the losing side would pay the other’s court fees.

After the city prevailed in a motion arguing that there was no justiciable controversy between the city and the county because the concert series had been canceled and that the county lacked standing to bring a case, the city sought $94,907 in attorney fees and $1,206 in court costs.

The county contested this, disputing the city’s win on the grounds that the litigation had provided Sheriff Daryl Wheeler on what to do if the concertgoers were cited for resisting the festival’s weapons ban.

However, first District Judge Lansing Haynes rejected this argument, writing in his nine-page decision that the argument was “without merit.”

To learn more about this case, check out Keith Kinnaird’s article tomorrow in the Daily Bee.