On June 5, 2024, Governor Murphy signed S2930/A4045, which by far are the most significant changes to the Open Public Records Act since OPRA became law in 2002. The amendments become effective in 90 days, whic… >
OPRA Best Practices for Parents and Guardians Requesting Their Child's Student Records
Parents and guardians have the right, under OPRA, to access copies of children’s student records. Access to these records becomes more important when parents and guardians are working to secure services f… >
Case Alert: Dalnoky v. Pinelands Regional School District OPRA Statute of Limitations
Time to file a lawsuit challenging a denial of access under OPRA or the common law is one of the shortest statutes of limitations in New Jersey, which is 45 days after the date of the denial of access. In Daln… >
Cohn Lifland Secures Remand in OPRA Case
On December 1, 2023, the Appellate Division issued its opinion in Madlinger v. Township of Independence. In Madlinger, Cohn Lifland represented the Plaintiff, Scott Madlinger, who requested copies of attorney … >
"Paff Certifications" - What Are They and How to Use Them
In OPRA cases, one of the most important tools for litigants and the Court is a document called a “Paff Certification,” which is more commonly known as a “Vaughn Index.” The synonymous n… >
On July 26, 2023, the Appellate Division decided Ciolek v. Township of Roxbury, Docket No. A-3729-21. This is an unpublished decision. However, as is so often the case with OPRA cases, it's useful to discuss un… >
Case Alert: Disclosure of Exterior School Security Camera Recordings Affirmed
On June 29, 2023, the Appellate Division decided Zezza v. Evesham Township Board of Education, Docket No. A-0537-21. In that case, the Court affirmed the trial court’s order that 35 seconds of exterior el… >
On September 27, 2022, we blogged about how the New Jersey Supreme Court was deciding whether and under what circumstances counsel fees are available to parties who prevail under the common law. (That post has … >
Personnel Records and "Individuals in Interest"
OPRA sometimes gives specific individuals special or broader access to certain types of records than the public at large. In this post, we discuss one of those special cases. Under OPRA, a public employee&rsqu… >
Retention of 911 Call Recordings
In general, 911 call recordings are public records (some exceptions apply, but that’s not the focus of this post). The most challenging aspect of gaining access to 911 call recordings is that, based on in… >
