Motion for Reconsideration Filed in Case Involving Sustained Allegations of "Racist and Misogynistic Slurs"

We recently blogged about Rivera v. Union County Prosecutor's Office, where the trial court granted access to the internal affairs reports of the former Police Director of the City of Elizabeth Police Department, who was the subject of an internal affairs investigation that concluded that he used "racist and misogynistic slurs" in the workplace. As an update, the Appellate Division reversed that decision and concluded that the records were not subject to OPRA on June 19, 2020.

Unfortunately, the Appellate Division did not simply deny access under OPRA. It also concluded that the internal affairs reports were not accessible under the common law. Plaintiff has filed a motion for reconsideration, arguing that it was palpably incorrect for the Appellate Division to reach the issue of common law access because: 1) the trial court never reached the issue below; 2) the parties never briefed the issue before the Appellate Division; 3) the parties never addressed common law access at oral argument; and 4) no court ever reviewed the actual records in camera.

A copy of the motion for reconsideration brief is here.