With Justice Barbara Jackson not participating, the court split 3-3 Friday on a case involving Elon University. The justices said that means a decision by the state Appeals Court stands, but that opinion sets no precedent.

The case began when a student reporter asked the university's police chief for a copy of an arrest record. When he sought details about the arrest, campus police said they didn't have to provide anything else because the state law requiring government agencies to turn over public records on request didn't apply to private universities.

Friday's decision doesn't say why Jackson didn't participate.

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