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Brady v. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc.
Citations: 97 A.D.2d 451; 467 N.Y.S.2d 417; 10 Media L. Rep. (BNA) 1287; 1983 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 20042
Court: Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York; October 17, 1983; New York; State Appellate Court
In a defamation case, the New York State Division of State Police, a nonparty, appeals an order from the Supreme Court, Orange County, which granted the defendants’ motion and the plaintiffs’ cross motion for the disclosure of confidential investigative reports related to the "Newburgh police scandals" from approximately 1972. The appellate court reversed the order, denying both the motion and cross motion, citing the Division’s standing to appeal due to being "expressly bound" by the lower court's order. The court found that the Special Term abused its discretion by requiring the disclosure of the reports, noting that even with redaction of informants’ names, such disclosure could lead to reprisals against sources and jeopardize future sensitive investigations. The ruling emphasized that the public interest in allowing litigants to obtain evidence must yield to the public interest in the government's ability to conduct important investigations effectively.