Supreme Court to Consider Open Government and Fourth Amendment in 2019

The Supreme Court agreed today to hear two cases of interest to privacy and open government advocates. One case concerns the withholding of "confidential" information requested under the Freedom of Information Act. EPIC recently sued the Federal Trade Commission for information about Facebook's privacy practices, but the FTC has claimed the records are confidential and therefore should not be released. The second case, Mitchell v. Wisconsin, concerns a state law that permits law enforcement officers to draw blood from unconscious motorists without a warrant. EPIC routinely participates as amicus in Supreme Court cases concerning open government and privacy issues. Both cases are expected to be decided by the end of the Court's term in June.