“Unpublished opinions” are not published in the law books and are not ordinarily written about in legal periodicals. Unless somebody puts them on-line and calls attention to them, they are likely not to be located by people who may want to search for them. I think that it’s important that court opinions, even if they are not precedential, are easily accessible for future use.

Collene Wronko v. New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Middlesex County, Docket No. MID-L-11721-15
Hon. Travis L. Francis, A.J.S.C.
August 28, 2015
Click here for the court’s decision.

Summary:  New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which conceded that it is subject to the Open Public Records Act (OPRA), cannot charge a “labor fee” for fulfilling Ms. Wronko’s request.  Ms. Wronko declared prevailing party entitled to attorney fees and costs.

Update:  Another decision, here, holds that the county-level SPCA organization is likewise subject to OPRA.

Chairman of the New Jersey Libertarian Party's Open Government Advocacy Project. Please send all comments to paff@pobox.com