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Virginia Law Prohibiting Access To Public Documents Faces Roadblock

By: Michael Pope // January 3, 2013
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The American Civil Liberties Union is supporting a Rhode Island attorney's lawsuit challenging a Virginia law that prohibits out-of-state residents from requesting documents under its open records law, reports the Associated Press.

The Rhode Island ACLU announced Thursday that it has filed a "friend of the court brief" with the United States Supreme Court in support of Mark McBurney's lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Virginia law.

The Pawtucket man sued Virginia after his request for documents during a child support dispute with his ex-wife was denied. A state law says only Virginia residents and some media outlets may request documents covered by the state's freedom of information law.

A California man is also part of the lawsuit after his request for information was also denied. The case is now before the U.S. Supreme Court.

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