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Appeals Court Hears Argument Over Privacy of Somerville Resident Parking Permits
Summary
At oral argument, attorneys debated whether names and addresses on city-issued parking permits are protected from public disclosure under privacy law and how federal Driver Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) guidance should inform the state public-records balancing test.
The Massachusetts Appeals Court heard competing arguments on whether the names and addresses linked to Somerville resident parking permits are exempt from disclosure under the Massachusetts public-records privacy exemption.
At issue in City of Somerville v. Shawn Williams was whether the public interest in access outweighs any privacy interest in the limited permit data the motion judge allowed to be disclosed. David Shapiro, counsel for the City of Somerville, told the panel that “there is a privacy interest in resident parking permits that are required to be obtained by residents in Somerville,” and argued the records implicate a…
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