from the Coldwater Daily Reporter, Judge O’Grady: RPSM will not be privy to information regarding licensed kennels:
Refurbished Pets of Southern Michigan, Inc. (RPSM) will not get information from Branch County on licensed kennels, after Branch County Circuit Court Judge Bill O’Grady ruled against the organization in a lawsuit filed under Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Judge O’Grady granted a summary judgement for the county, Sheriff Warren, Canon, who operates animal control, and county Treasurer Sandy Thatcher, as she handles records of county funds collected for the licenses. The judge said there is an exemption for information “of personal nature if it constitutes an unwarranted invasion of a person’s privacy.” That includes names, addresses and telephone numbers.
The relevant bit of the law at MCL 15.243
15.243 Exemptions from disclosure; public body as school district or public school academy; withholding of information required by law or in possession of executive office. Sec. 13.(1) A public body may exempt from disclosure as a public record under this act any of the following:
(a) Information of a personal nature if public disclosure of the information would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of an individual's privacy.
