Two courts rule for release of informal or draft settlement documents. Two more cases pending.

A 9/14/2016 decision by an Essex County Superior Court judge favored a records requestor seeking a settlement confirmation letter pertaining to a lawsuit against Caldwell Borough. The court ruled that the letter was disclosable under OPRA even though the settlement had not been formally approved. That makes two such decisions now supporting the early release Read More …

Activist seeks to force Passaic County to disclose cost of civil rights settlement

Settlement agreements entered into by governmental agencies are public documents.  That is well-established.  (See our Knowledge Corner HERE.)  This OPRA case is interesting in that it concerns disclosure of the terms of the settlement before its final drafting and adoption by the governing body. – NJFOG December 2, 2015 (updated 12/3/15) By Richard Cowen staff writer | The Record Read More …

The Record: Accountability

There are many non-profits that handle governmental functions, and NJ courts have already established the application of OPRA in certain circumstances. Here, a county-affiliated non-profit refuses to respond to OPRA requests. The non-profit’s history of missing IRS filings, which provide information about revenue and expenses, makes the availability of records through OPRA more important. – Read More …