Higg-A-Rella, Inc., T/A State Information Service, Blau Appraisal Company, and Robert D. Blau…

Summary

The Supreme Court of New Jersey held that Essex County’s computer tapes of property‑tax assessment lists are not Right‑to‑Know public records because they are not required to be made or maintained, but they are common‑law public records subject to a balancing test; the plaintiffs have a legitimate private interest and therefore a common‑law right to obtain copies. The Court affirmed the appellate reversal and remanded for the trial court to set a reasonable fee limited to the direct cost of copying the tapes.