Patricia Gilleran v. Township of Bloomfield(076114)

This is a case of statutory interpretation. The outcome should depend on the language the Legislature used—or chose not to use—in the Open Public Records Act (OPRA), N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 to -IS.

OPRA provides the public with access to government records. N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1. Unless an exception in the statute applies, the law affords citizens a broad right of access. Ibid. Relying on the statute, Patricia Gilleran asked the Township of Bloomfield for footage from a video surveillance camera that is visible to the public and focuses on the back of Bloomfield’s Town Hall. The Township denied the…