(1) Before the release of specified information under section 7d and except as provided in section 7g, an individual required to be notified under section 7g may appeal the director's decision to the circuit court. If an appeal is filed and the department notified before the release, the specified information shall not be released until the decision to release is upheld by the circuit court. If the director denies a request to release specified information under section 7d, within 30 days after notice of the denial, the person whose request is denied may file an appeal of the denial with the circuit court. The court shall uphold a decision to release or to deny release of specified information unless the court finds that the director's decision was an abuse of the director's discretion based upon the criteria for releasing or not releasing specified information prescribed by sections 7c to 7i.

    (2) Proceedings on an appeal filed under this section are confidential, and any record of these proceedings shall not be released unless the court upholds a decision to release specified information or reverses the denial of a request for release. The court shall conduct its review so that a person whose request for specified information was denied does not have access to that specified information during the appeal proceedings.

    (3) If the court reverses the director's decision to release or to deny release of specified information in an appeal under this section, the court may order the department to pay the appellant's costs and reasonable attorney fees that are related to the appeal.