EPIC Urges NJ Supreme Court to Protect Privacy of Personal Information in Government Records

EPIC has filed an amicus brief in Bozzi v. City of Jersey City urging the New Jersey Supreme Court to protect the privacy of personal information in government records. The case concerns a business owner's request under New Jersey's open records law for names and home addresses that residents were required to provide the City to obtain dog licenses. EPIC urged the Court to interpret New Jersey's law in line with the federal open government law, which protects in most cases names and addresses contained in government records. EPIC also urged the Court to prevent public disclosure of personal information for purely commercial purposes. EPIC stressed that the purpose of open government laws "is to shed light on the workings of the government——not to transform the government into a lead generator for commercial ventures." EPIC has filed numerous amicus briefs concerning the right to informational privacy. EPIC also has extensive experience litigating federal open government cases.