Patterson v. Allegan County Sheriff

Plaintiff, Chester Patterson, appeals by leave granted a circuit court order granting summary disposition to defendant, the Allegan County Sheriff, and dismissing plaintiffs action under the Freedom of Information Act (foia). We reverse.

The operative facts are undisputed. Plaintiff, a prisoner, sent defendant a letter requesting official police booking photographs (mug shots) of two female prisoners who were then in the custody of the sheriffs department. Defendant responded to this request with a written denial that was based on a departmental policy not to make such photographs available…