CJ Griffin Argues Case on Behalf of New Jersey Monitor Before New Jersey Supreme Court
CJ Griffin, Partner and Director of the Justice Gary S. Stein Public Interest Center at Pashman Stein Walder Hayden P.C., recently argued before the New Jersey Supreme Court in a police transparency suit on behalf of States Newsroom Inc, the non-profit publisher of the New Jersey Monitor.
New Jersey Monitor’s article about the argument explains that the publication had sought a police internal affairs report from the City of Jersey City relating to discipline an officer had received regarding criminal charges he faced. Jersey City denied the request and Griffin filed a lawsuit on the Monitor’s behalf, arguing that disclosure was required under the law and that it would expose more details about the special treatment the officer received.
While the litigation was pending, the officer received an expungement of his criminal records and then argued the expungement extended to his internal affairs records as well. The trial court agreed and denied access to the report. Griffin appealed on the Monitor’s behalf. The Appellate Division reversed and held that the report should be disclosed with redactions but provided little guidance as to what should be redacted. Jersey City appealed to the Supreme Court, which granted certification. Arguments were held on April 29, 2025.
New Jersey Monitor’s article discusses the oral argument, quoting Griffin as telling the justices:
“Transparency is very important to the public, trusting the police. And the public often feels that police are given special treatment, that they cover up for each other, that the internal affairs unit doesn’t hold their fellow officers accountable. And I’ve personally seen that every time we come to this court and obtain a landmark decision that gives us transparency, then we see agencies finding a way to evade that transparency. So those things are all present in this case.”
The Jersey Vindicator also published an article covering the argument, titled “New Jersey Supreme Court to Decide if Public can See Cop’s Internal Affairs File After Criminal Case Expunged.”
To read the full article in the New Jersey Monitor, click here.
To read the full article in the Jersey Vindicator, click here.