TUCSON, Ariz. — Legal counsel for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has accepted the Arizona Daily Star's appeal that was made after the Tucson VA hospital denied a public records request made by the newspaper.

The Arizona Daily Star reported Friday that the newspaper's request was for names of all of the hospital's current dermatologists. The department overruled the hospital's denial in full. The hospital cited privacy concerns in denying the request.

Dan Barr, counsel to the First Amendment Coalition of Arizona, called the initial denial from the local VA a "knee-jerk reaction."