State judge denies Wal-Mart request

A state judge has denied Wal-Mart’s request to prevent public access to court documents in the company’s multimillion-dollar tax fight with the state.

The judge refused to grant the company a protective order that would have sealed future documents in the case.

Wal-Mart filed a lawsuit last year against the state Department of Revenue seeking a $30 million income tax refund.

The company says it was overcharged. But state officials say Wal-Mart used tax shelters to obscure its true earnings in North Carolina.