Tag: New Jersey Open Public Records Act

NJ Supreme Court Adopts Procedure for Defendants to Access Internal Affairs Files

NJ Supreme Court Adopts Procedure for Defendants to Access Internal Affairs Files

In State v. Andre Higgs (A-28-21/085863) (Decided March 30, 2023), the Supreme Court of New Jersey ruled that the trial court made three errors that warranted a new trial for Defendant Andre Higgs, who had been convicted of murder. One of the errors involved being denied access to an on-scene

OPMA

NJ Supreme Court Rules Public Auction Records Subject to OPRA

In William J. Brennan v. Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, the Supreme Court of New Jersey held that the state’s Open Public Records Act (OPRA) compels the disclosure of documents including the names and addresses of persons who successfully bid at an auction of public property. The court’s decision is particularly

NJ Appeals Court Clarifies OPRA Personnel Exemption

In Libertarians For Transparent Government v. Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, the Appellate Division held that the state’s Open Public Records Act (OPRA) does not require a covered entity to provide a detailed disclosure of the reasons for an employee’s resignation.  OPRA Personnel Record Exemption OPRA contains an exemption for personnel records.

Understanding the Limits of “Overly Broad” OPRA Denials

A recent Appellate Division decision provides a useful discussion of how to determine when a request under the Open Public Records Act (OPRA) is “overly broad.” As highlighted in Wronko v. Township of Jackson, et al., not all blanket requests may be denied under OPRA. Facts of the Case Plaintiff

NJ Appeals Court Rules OPRA Requests Subject to OPRA

NJ Appeals Court Rules OPRA Requests Subject to OPRA

In Scheeler v. Office of the Governor, the Appellate Division held that third-party requests for documents under the Open Public Records Act (OPRA) are subject to disclosure under OPRA. In so ruling, the appeals court rejected the argument that such OPRA requests lack the required specificity and would constitute an

NJ Supreme Court to Consider Disclosure of Police Dash Cam Videos

NJ Supreme Court to Consider Disclosure of Police Dash Cam Videos

The Supreme Court of New Jersey recently agreed to add another key case involving the state’s Open Public Records Act (OPRA) to its docket. Paff v. Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office revolves around the disclosure of police video recordings, which has become a high-profile issue in the wake of several controversial police-involved