The Supreme Court’s Civil Practice Committee has rejected a proposal that New Jersey’s court rules be amended to permit plaintiffs to file anonymous OPRA complaints. See p. 116 of the 2016 Committee Report.

The proposal that the court rules authorize anonymous OPRA complaints, made by an individual identified only as a non-attorney involved in several OPRA cases, was based on the fact that OPRA allows anonymous requests to be submitted. The “vast majority” of the Committee rejected the requested rule change. This decision was based on the Appellate Division’s 2015 opinion in A.A. v. Gramiccioni, where the court held that there is no reason to permit OPRA plaintiffs to prosecute litigation anonymously.

The Committee’s action puts to rest any possibility that anonymous OPRA court complaints may be filed. The GRC does accept anonymous complaints, even though, as I’ve discussed, this policy is contrary to law.