Ninth Circuit May Revive Suit to Restore USDA Animal-Welfare Portal
Helen Christophi, Courthouse News Serv., Dec. 17, 2018
The Ninth Circuit on Monday signaled it will likely revive a public-records lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture which seeks to restore online access to animal welfare compliance records which was removed two years ago over privacy concerns.
During a hearing in San Francisco, the court’s three-judge panel seemed to agree animal-rights groups can’t win back online access to the records under the Freedom of Information Act. But two judges suggested the plaintiffs can sue for them under a separate statute that allows for judicial review of decisions by federal agencies.
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