LPCNJ/Paff v. Garwood Board of Education

Union County Prosecutor
Case No. None - Filed 11/29/06
First Posted 11/29/06 - Last Updated 11/29/06
PDF of case documents

Issue Presented:

Various violations of Open Public Meetings Act regarding closed sessions

Requested Relief:

Demanding compliance

Status: Matter tentatively settled.

LPCNJ/Paff v. Somerset County Joint Insurance Fund

Superior Court/Somerset County Prosecutor
Case No. None - Filed __/___/____
First Posted 03/24/06 - Last Updated 05/27/06
PDF of case documents

Issue Presented:

Various violations of Open Public Meetings Act regarding closed sessions

Requested Relief:

Demanding compliance

Status: Matter tentatively settled.

LPCNJ v. Roselle Park Borough Council

Union County Prosecutor
Case No. None - Filed 08/31/04
First Posted 12/15/05 - Last Updated 12/15/05
PDF of case documents

Issue Presented:

Various violations of Open Public Meetings Act regarding closed sessions

Requested Relief:

Demanding compliance

LPCNJ v. Old Bridge Township

Middlesex County Prosecutor
Case No. None - Filed 09/01/05
First Posted 09/09/05 - Last Updated 09/09/05
PDF of case documents

Issue Presented:

Proposed ordinance to improperly restrict public access to Township Council's closed session minutes.

Requested Relief:

Ruling that proposed ordinance is invalid.

Paff v. Old Bridge Township

Government Records Council
Case No. 2005-123 - Filed 06/13/05
First Posted 07/16/05 - Last Updated 04/18/06
PDF of case documents

Issue Presented:

Closed session meeting minutes improperly denied. Improper demand that "official" request form be used, and the form itself is not compliant with OPRA

Requested Relief:

Production of closed session minutes and compliance with request form requirements.

Paff v. Highland Park Planning Board

New Jersey Superior Court, Middlesex County
Docket No. (none) - Filed (Not filed)
First Posted 04/13/05 - Last Updated 06/15/05
PDF of case documents

Issue Presented:

Public meeting minutes not promptly made publicly available

Requested Relief:

Compliance.

To listen to John Paff and the Planning Board's May 26, 2005 discussion on the Board's duty to produce its minutes in a timely fashion, click here

Paff v. Franklin Twp. Redevelopment Agency

New Jersey Superior Court, Somerset County
Docket No. L-001448-04 - Filed 10/01/04
First Posted 04/06/05 - Last Updated 06/17/05
PDF of case documents

Issue Presented:

Insufficient closed session resolutions and executive session minutes redacted too heavily.

Requested Relief:

Compelling compliance.

Paff v. Union Township Committee

Goverment Records Council
Docket No. Not Yet Assigned - Filed 07/19/05
First Posted 06/13/05 - Last Updated 07/18/05
(Includes previous Superior Court case which is now closed)
PDF of case documents

Issue Presented:

Disclosure of closed session minutes.

Requested Relief:

Compelling compliance.

Paff v. Plainsboro Township

Local Finance Board
Case No. none - Filed 02/10/05
First Posted 02/10/05 - Last Updated 03/12/05
PDF of case documents

Issue Presented:

Total cost of no-bid legal services contract not published and authorizing resolution technically deficient.

Requested Relief:

Compelling compliance. File Closed on March 12, 2005 after Local Finance Board adjudicated complaint. Complaint partially sustained.

Paff v. Plainsboro Township Clerk

Government Records Council
Case No. 2005-29 - Filed 02/10/05
First Posted 02/10/05 - Last Updated 08/22/05
PDF of case documents

Issue Presented:

Denial of Township Committee's closed session minutes and "unapproved" public session minutes.

Requested Relief:

Compelling compliance

Paff v. Far Hills Borough Clerk

Government Records Council
Case No. 2005-30 - Filed 02/08/05
First Posted 02/08/05 - Last Updated 09/28/05
PDF of case documents

Issue Presented:

Total suppression of Borough Council's closed session minutes relating to police officer discipline and other issues not legally justified (Interestingly, Borough Clerk's office previously and mistakenly gave me unrestricted access to all closed session minutes!)

Requested Relief:

Compelling compliance

Highland Park Redevelopment Agency

First Posted 01/06/05 - Last Updated 04/29/06
PDF of documents including meeting minutes and the Agency members' financial disclosure reports

The Redevelopment Agency is in charge of implementing Highland Park Borough's plan to "redevelop" its downtown area. The Agency has the power of eminent domain. Accordingly, it has the power to forcibly dispossess business and home owners who decline to participate in the Redevelopment process.

Paff v. Perth Amboy City Council

New Jersey Superior Court, Middlesex County
Docket No. L-000026-05 - Filed 12/30/04
First Posted 01/06/05 - Last Updated 12/06/05
PDF of case documents

Issues Presented:

1) Heavy redaction to City Council's closed session minutes render them virtually useless; 2) Non-exempt issues apparently discussed during closed session.

Requested Relief:

Compelling compliance, injunctive, declaratory and award of court costs.

LPCNJ v. Union County Improvement Authority

Union County Prosecutor
Filed 03/14/06
First Posted 06/12/06 - Last Updated 06/12/06
PDF of case documents

Issue Presented:

Violations of Open Public Meetings Act regarding closed session resolutions.

Requested Relief:

Demand compliance

Outcome:

Prosecutor agreed with LPCNJ position.

LPCNJ v. Kenilworth Brook Board of Education

Union County Prosecutor
Filed 03/27/06
First Posted 06/12/06 - Last Updated 06/12/06
PDF of case documents

Issue Presented:

Violations of Open Public Meetings Act regarding closed session resolutions and minutes

Requested Relief:

Demand compliance

Outcome:

Prosecutor agreed with LPCNJ position.

LPCNJ/Paff v. South Bound Brook Board of Education

Superior Court/Somerset County Prosecutor
Case No. None - Filed __/___/____
First Posted 06/01/06 - Last Updated 06/12/06
PDF of case documents

Issue Presented:

Violations of Open Public Meetings Act regarding closed session resolutions and minutes

Requested Relief:

Demanding compliance

Outcome:

School Board agreed to comply with LPCNJ position.

LPCNJ v. Elizabeth Board of Education

Union County Prosecutor
Case No. None - Filed 12/27/05
First Posted 02/12/06 - Last Updated 03/05/06
PDF of case documents

Issue Presented:

Various violations of Open Public Meetings Act regarding closed sessions

Outcome:

Prosecutor directed to Board to review its procedures.

LPCNJ v. Bound Brook Borough

Somerset County Prosecutor
Case No. 0504-0420 - Filed 02/22/05
First Posted 04/01/05 - File Closed 10/13/05
PDF of case documents

Issue Presented:

No closed session minutes available for several years and improper non-public meeting of a quorum of the Planning Board.

Outcome:

The Bound Brook Borough Council was found to have improperly failed to maintain minutes of its closed sessions. The Borough was also warned that the meeting practice of its redevelopment agency's subcommittee "may present an appearance of impropriety [and] that future decisions of the Planning Board . . . may be jeopardized as a result of those meetings not being open to the public."