Free OPMA/OPRA seminar on November 8, 2017. VIDEO AVAILABLE!

Join NJFOG and guest speaker Senator Loretta Weinberg in Bergen County on Wednesday, November 8, 2017 to learn more about New Jersey’s Open Public Meetings and Records laws (OPMA and OPRA). Senator Weinberg is the primary sponsor of reform legislation S1045 (OPMA) and S1046 (OPRA). Click here for more information about this event!   VIDEO:  Read More …

Court consent order cites Lyndhurst officials’ violation of OPMA’s notice requirement

On June 16, 2017, a Bergen County Court found that a March 2016 joint meeting of the Lyndhurst Township Commission and Board of Ed. was not properly noticed and issued a consent order requiring that a shared service agreement be rescinded.  A re-vote is required for the agreement, which included construction of a new school. Read More …

Appellate Court rejects declaratory judgment action against Bergen Co.

Stop & Shop filed a declaratory judgment lawsuit against Bergen County after a record was first disclosed to them with a 2nd OPRA request several years after their first request. The record, though responsive to the first request, was not specifically requested. In this particular set of circumstances, the Appellate Court rejected the suit, in Read More …

Bergen Judge rules OPRA requestor does not need to provide address

HOT TOPIC: Paramus Borough required an OPRA requestor to provide his address on the grounds that non-residents of New Jersey are not entitled to records under OPRA. A Bergen Judge ruled that the Borough violated OPRA by not providing the records. Recent court opinions have differed on whether an out-of-state residents have standing under New Read More …

Commentary on the “No need to confirm nor deny” Appellate ruling

by Raymond Baldino, Esq.   NJFOG foreword: On 8/31/16, the Appellate Division upheld a lower court ruling that the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office could respond to an OPRA request by North Jersey Media by neither confirming nor denying the existence of records related to a Catholic priest who had not been arrested or charged with Read More …