Swerdlick v. Koch

OPINION

FLANDERS, Justice.

A tabloid headline describing the trial of this case might read as follows: “JUDGE NIXES ZONING OUTLAWS’ SUIT AGAINST NOSY NEIGHBOR.” The husband-and-wife plaintiffs, Gerald and Catherine Swerdlick (Gerald, Catherine, or plaintiffs), claimed that the defendant Robert Koch’s (Koch or defendant) ongoing surveillance of various alleged business activities occurring outside their Westerly home violated their right to privacy under G.L.1956 § 9-1-28.1. Furthermore, the plaintiffs alleged that the defendant’s conduct in reporting such activities to a municipal zoning…