AUGUSTA -- Kennebec County has been dropped from an injunction filed in Cumberland County Superior Court that would force the county to comply with Maine's Freedom of Access Act.

MacImage of Maine LLC, owned by John Simpson, filed the appeal last week against 13 Maine counties. The company is intending to get all land records for the purpose of creating a statewide deeds database.

Many counties have refused, worrying about a potential loss in revenue.

Kennebec County was dropped because the county's legal counsel is also Simpson's.

"It was conflict of interest," Kennebec County Administrator Robert Devlin said. "Of course, the attorney can't sue one of his own clients."

Simpson's attorney is Sigmund Schutz, a Portland lawyer who has who has written guides for Maine's Freedom of Access Act.

However, Devlin expects the county will be affected by the outcome of the MacImage court fight.

"There are still 11 or 12 counties out there facing this," Devlin said. "If (Simpson) prevails with them, we'll be affected."