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JACKSON COUNTY, West Virginia: Last week the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals agreed to hear a FOIA case in regards to zoning ordinance measure in Jefferson County that appeared on the ballot November 7, 2009.[1] According to The Observer, they are involved in "a civil suit against Jefferson County in an attempt to obtain the names of the petitioners who signed the referendum petition." After signatures were filed, a FOIA request was filed to obtain the names of the petitioners, however the requests were rejected by Jefferson County Clerk Jennifer Maghan's office.[2] Local judges later sided with Jefferson County in favor of keeping the names private. According to Maghan the FOIA requests were rejected after checking with the West Virginia Secretary of State's office regarding the privacy of petitioners' names. "I feel that it's important to follow through and maintain continuity between the state and county offices so that the process is the same for all," said Maghan.[1]
According to officials a ruling is expected within the next six months.
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