A3626 further erodes public access to crime records

NJFOG agrees with the NJ Press Association and the Press of Atlantic City’s position against bill A-3626, which proposes an overly-broad exemption to the Open Public Records Act (OPRA) for the identities of violent crime victims and witnesses. The editorial points out that victims’ needs are already balanced against the needs of the public under Read More …

Rutgers Cops to Wear Cameras, But Videos May Be Kept Secret

NJ AG allocates $1.5M and $2.5M of public funds for bodycams for state and local police, respectively, but argues videos should not be disclosed under OPRA. -NJFOG — Outgoing Attorney General John Hoffman Wants Videos Exempted From OPRA Law February 15, 2016 BY CHARLIE KRATOVIL, MICHAEL BENAVIDES NEW BRUNSWICK TODAY   Read article here. (Scroll to Read More …

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 …

Fallout of the Appellate Division’s Lyndhurst ruling

NJFOG previously posted an article about the June 11 Appellate Court ruling in North Jersey Media Group, Inc. v. Township of Lyndhurst. The decision, available here, severely restricts access to a wide range of law enforcement records that many trial courts had previously opined are public. The inevitable fallout of the Lyndhurst decision is now being felt Read More …