NJ Supreme Court to hear case that cut access to police records

UPDATE (7/11/2017):  On July 11, 2017, the New Jersey Supreme Court released its decision in North Jersey Media v. Twp of Lyndhurst. The mixed ruling reverses the Appellate Court in part but also allows agencies to withhold some records under certain conditions. Read our summary here for more detail.   UPDATE (11/9/16):  The NJ Supreme Read More …

Amicus brief in the appeal of the Lyndhurst decision, which curtailed access to police records

Groups are lining up against the NJ Appellate Division’s Lyndhurst decision that made virtually all criminal records exempt under OPRA. The case is being appealed to the NJ Supreme Court.  Also see our post, “Fallout of the Appellate Division’s Lyndhurst Ruling”.   -NJFOG American Society of News Editors (ASNE) By ASNE staff 10/06/2015 (Available online here and Read More …

Appellate Court to rule on who can file an OPRA lawsuit

UPDATE (12/18/2015):  For NJ Appellate Court ruling, see https://njfog.org/2015/12/18/2707/. — What has come to be called “first strikes” or “pre-emptive strikes” by public agencies is a hot topic these days with a growing number of records requestors finding themselves as unwitting defendants in court actions initiated by public agencies. Since the OPRA statute mandates reimbursement Read More …

Four more organizations chime in on e-mail log OPRA case

Ever file an OPRA request for email correspondence and feel there is stuff you’re not getting? Wouldn’t it be nice to see a log of email communications to know for sure?  A trial court ruled the log is a public document, but the town appealed, and now things are heating up on both sides.   Read More …

NJPA court brief challenges a public agency’s right to sue under OPRA

UPDATE (12/18/2015):  For NJ Appellate Court ruling, see https://njfog.org/2015/12/18/2707/. — The New Jersey Press Association (NJPA) has filed an amicus brief challenging a records custodian’s ability to file a declaratory judgment lawsuit in response to an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request. “It addresses the prickly issue of whether public agencies can initiate lawsuits under Read More …