Right to Keep and Publish FOIA Documents, Norwood v. Karn

Mo Karn requested various operating manuals from the Richmond Police Department under the Freedom of Information Act.  The department provided the documents, with some redactions.  After she received them, Mo posted the documents on the website of her anarchist collective.  The city then filed a case in Richmond Circuit Court seeking an order requiring Mo to return the documents and not to disseminate them.  On January 7, 2011, we filed papers opposing the request for an injunction and seeking dismissal of the case, arguing that Mo’s publication of the records is protected by the First Amendment.  After we filed our response, the City voluntarily dismissed the case on January 13, 2011.

Court Documents (click links to view .pdf)
Opposition to Emergency Motion- Richmond Circuit Court
Demurrer- Richmond Circuit Court

Attorney(s)

Rebecca Glenberg, Tom Fitzpatrick, ACLU of Virginia

Date filed

January 7, 2011

Court

Richmond Circuit Court

Status

Closed