Vice President-elect Mike Pence Michael (Mike) Richard PenceButtigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice Trump argues full Supreme Court needed to settle potential election disputes Pence adviser knocks ex-staffer who criticized Trump on COVID-19 MORE is heading to court in order to keep secret the contents of an email sent while serving as governor of Indiana.

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The email was sent between Pence's administration and a private law firm in regards to a state lawsuit against President Obama over his immigration policies. The lawsuit originated in 2014 when Obama declared that parents of children who entered the U.S. before they were 16 years old would be offered deferred enforcement.

According to The Indianapolis Star, which originally reported the story, said "the email is being sought by a prominent Democratic labor lawyer who says he wants to expose waste in the Republican administration."

The issue, however, could extend beyond the lawsuit by setting a precedent limiting government transparency.

"It comes down to this — the court is giving up its ability to check another branch of government, and that should worry people," Gerry Lanosga, an Indiana University media professor, told the newspaper.

Paul Jefferson, a former professor of state constitutional law at Indiana University, told the Star a ruling in favor of keeping the email private "would severely limit the Access to Public Records Act."

Pence's request for privacy has been called "ironic" by some political observers, who note that he and President-elect Donald Trump Donald John TrumpOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Pelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate MORE made attacks on former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonButtigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice Senate GOP sees early Supreme Court vote as political booster shot Poll: 51 percent of voters want to abolish the electoral college MORE's use of a private email server a major part of their presidential campaign against the Democratic nominee.

The Indiana Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments for the case next Monday.