The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is exempt from the requirements of the New Jersey Open Public Records Act, according to a New Jersey appeals court. The court reasoned that because the Port Authority is an instrumentality of the two states, it is not considered an “agency”
Municipalities across the country are increasingly using social media to keep in touch with their citizens. In fact, sites like Twitter and Facebook are credited with playing a valuable role in the wake of Hurricane Isaac by keeping residents of impacted communities informed of road closures, power restoration efforts, and
A recent decision by the Appellate Division reminds New Jersey public bodies that they cannot broadly cite attorney-client privilege to avoid providing documents in response to a request made under the Open Public Records Act (OPRA). In Hyman v. City of Jersey City, the court chastised the municipality for its
The New Jersey Open Records Act (OPRA) continues to pose challenges for municipalities. In a recent decision, Superior Court Judge Yolanda Ciccone ruled that data does not need to be readable to qualify as a public record. The Facts of the Case The New Jersey OPRA lawsuit was filed
The New Jersey Supreme Court recently clarified that the state’s Open Public Records Act (OPRA) does have its limits. The Court addressed whether certain records related to the Rutgers Environmental Law Clinic’s representation of its clients should be fair game under OPRA. The lawsuit, Sussex Commons Associates v. Rutgers, arose
Legislative efforts to strengthen the state’s Open Public Meetings Act and the Open Public Records Act have met significant resistance from New Jersey municipalities. The amendments, proposed by Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, D-Teaneck, are intended to update the New Jersey open records laws and bring them in line with
The debate on the balance between individual privacy and the public’s right to information about public business is back in the center of attention as the New Jersey State Legislature continues to debate the state’s open government laws. Assemblyman Jack M. Ciattarelli announced his plans to introduce legislation that would
New Jersey’s Open Records Act continues to dominate the legal headlines. As legislative efforts are underway to expand OPRA New Jersey’s public law schools are seeking to avoid it. The New Jersey Supreme Court will soon decide whether certain records related to the Rutgers Environmental Law Clinic’s representation of its
