Viewing a public file at the Santa Rosa courthouse will cost $10 under a proposal from the state’s judicial branch that is drawing fire from critics who say it will limit access to public information.

Construction of a new Santa Rosa courthouse is expected to be delayed another year if Gov. Jerry Brown follows through with plans to raid $290 million from the statewide construction fund to balance the budget.

Opponents of a proposed asphalt plant near Petaluma have challenged the project’s approval in state appellate court.

The Petaluma City Council decided Monday night to evaluate whether to appeal a judge’s dismissal of a lawsuit trying to halt the Dutra Materials asphalt plant. In a closed-session discussion, the council agreed to analyze whether there are legal grounds for an appeal and how much it would cost to continue the fight.

Opponents and supporters of the proposed Dutra Materials asphalt plant south of Petaluma are set to have their date in court Friday. A lawsuit challenging approval of the project, one of the most controversial land-use issues in Sonoma County, will be the focus of a civil court hearing. What should the judge do?

The list of environmental requirements that Sutter Health must meet to build its planned $284 million hospital north of Santa Rosa grew Tuesday. The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors tentatively added a condition envisioned to help further offset greenhouse gas emissions linked to the hospital’s development and operation.

Sonoma County Judge Rene Chouteau has rejected an effort by Shamrock Materials to be dropped from a lawsuit challenging the county’s approval of the Dutra Materials asphalt plant near the Petaluma River. A late change in the Dutra project required use of Shamrock’s property along the Petaluma River to deliver aggregate to the adjacent Dutra site.

A Sonoma County judge has rejected many of the legal objections to the Board of Supervisors’ approval last year of a new Sutter Medical Center north of Santa Rosa. Judge Rene Chouteau faulted the county’s approval of the $284 million hospital complex on two limited issues, but rejected other complaints raised in the lawsuit filed in September by hospitals in Healdsburg and Sebastopol and an environmental group.

Wal-Mart’s expansion of its Rohnert Park store hit a bump Thursday when a Sonoma County judge ruled more work is needed on noise and parking issues.

A judge on Tuesday cleared the way for Saggio Hills to proceed, delivering a victory to the City of Healdsburg and developers of the proposed luxury resort and housing on the city’s northern fringe. Still, it’s not clear when construction will begin on the project .