Buffalo, N.Y. - Erie County's Comptroller, Mark Poloncarz, took on the role of lawyer Thursday.

Poloncarz represented his office in State Supreme Court, where he asked a judge to force the county's Ethics Board to release members' personal information to his office.

Poloncarz has been fighting the county since February over an audit of the Ethics Board. Poloncarz has been asking for members' paperwork and information that includes which companies they own stock in and how much.

A judge ruled Thursday that the information Poloncarz was asking for be released, under two conditions: that the names and information of children is redacted, along with the exact amount of stock members hold.

Poloncarz told 2-On-Your-Side the judge's ruling is the victory he's been waiting months for.

"This is a 100% victory," said Poloncarz. "It's what I've been arguing all along ... that the Board of Ethics is an administrative unit of Erie County, not an advisory board. So now my office is going to be able to go in and take a look and make sure they're doing things properly."

However, Erie County Executive, Chris Collins, doesn't see it that way.

"That was our offer from day one," said Collins. "What you're telling me... that's exactly what the judge ruled. He's allowed to have the forms with the names of minor children and exact investments redacted ... so I guess I'd say, 'What a complete waste of time'."

Poloncarz also noted that no extra taxpayer money was spent on the court case because Poloncarz, who is also a lawyer, filled out the paperwork and filed it in court himself.

Copyright 2010 WGRZ