Bridgewater Victorious, Court Rules Email Addresses Will Not Be Released

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Bridgewater Township residents' privacy and email addresses will remain protected after the New Jersey Supreme Court dismissed an appeal filed by Rise Against Hate.

"This is a victory for residents of Bridgewater and the entire State," said Bridgewater Mayor Matthew Moench.

This latest follows a lawsuit filed by Rise Against Hate, a 501 (c)(3) group, in November 2021 against Bridgewater after they were denied access to residents' email addresses under the Open Public Records Act (OPRA). Read More: Bridgewater Email Addresses May Be Released To Anti-Hate Group

The group was seeking access to the email addresses of residents who had signed up for Township email distribution lists.

In response to the lawsuit, Bridgewater Township filed an appeal in January 2022 to stop the release of residents' emails in an effort to protect the privacy of its citizens. Read More: Bridgewater Files Appeal To Stop Release Of Residents' Email List

On March 29, 2023, the Appellate Court ultimately ruled in favor of Bridgewater, ruling that the Township did not have to disclose any resident email addresses.

In July 2023, Rise Against Hate petitioned the New Jersey Supreme Court to hear their request. The Supreme Court accepted their petition.

"Last week, the Supreme Court reversed the certification and dismissed the appeal stating that it was improvidently granted. This means that the original Appellate Division ruling, in the Township’s favor, stands and the case is now concluded," according to the Township.

"This is the ruling we have been waiting for," said Councilman Filipe Pedroso. "The Open Public Records Act is a critical tool for government transparency but, in this case, it was clearly being abused. I am gratified that the highest Courts in our State agreed."

Council President Tim Ring added, "The decision by the Supreme Court to uphold the Appellate Division's ruling affirms our commitment to protecting the privacy of our residents. This outcome underscores the importance of safeguarding personal information from misuse and reinforces the trust our community has in its local government."

Rise Against Hate had also filed lawsuits against Cherry Hill, and West Deptford after submitting a public record request for access to the towns' newsletter mailing lists and was denied.

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.