Hinckley Allen attorneys successfully represented two Connecticut media companies in their efforts to access information regarding a highly publicized Connecticut State Police ticketing scandal. The Connecticut State Police Union sought an injunction in state court seeking to block the Connecticut State Police, in response to media inquiries, from releasing the names of 130 state troopers allegedly implicated in falsifying traffic tickets to skew racial profiling data.
Hinckley Allen attorneys, representing two local publications, The Connecticut Mirror and The Day, intervened in the state court action and opposed the injunction. After argument, the Court issued a ruling agreeing with the intervenors and defendants that the Court does not have authority to block the release of the trooper names in response to a media request. The Court agreed that Connecticut law requires the Freedom of Information Commission, the administrative agency tasked with administering the Freedom of Information Act in Connecticut, first determine whether the records may be withheld before the court has any power.
See media coverage:
Fox61: Arguments heard on release of names allegedly in ticket scandal
Connecticut Mirror: Media join lawsuit in CT state police ticketing scandal