Silvestri v. Borough of Ridgefield, Docket No. BER-L-848-19

CJ Griffin represented online platform OPRAmachine and its owner, Gavin Rozzi, in response to a subpoena served by the plaintiff in a civil lawsuit seeking the real identity of “Michael,” a pseudonym used by one of OPRAmachine’s users. OPRAmachine allows users to maintain anonymity when filing OPRA requests directly with hundreds of public agencies. The responses to the requests remain online permanently and serve as a repository of public records. Griffin, working alongside ACLU-NJ as co-counsel, moved to quash the subpoena based on “Michael’s” First Amendment right to participate anonymously in an online forum and the statutory right to file OPRA requests. The motion also argued that New Jersey’s Shield Law protected Rozzi from having to comply with the subpoena. Not long after the motion was filed, the plaintiff withdrew its subpoena.

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