Penna. State Education Assn v. Pennsylvania (majority)
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This direct appeal concerned the Commonwealth Court's jurisdiction over a suit brought by public school employees for injunctive and declaratory relief against the Office of Open Records, seeking to protect the employees' home addresses from disclosure under the Right to Know Law. Due to concerns surrounding the potential disclosure of school employees' names and home addresses under the recently enacted Right-to-Know Law (RTKL), the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) sought guidance from the Office of Open Records (OOR) in the form of an advisory opinion. The OOR, however, dismissed the request as moot, as it had already issued final determinations directing the release of public records containing school employees' home addresses. Subsequently, numerous RTKL requests were filed with school districts across Pennsylvania, seeking disclosure of the names and home addresses of school employees. Upon discovering that many school districts had not challenged, or would not challenge, the release of such information, PSEA filed a petition for review against the OOR in the Commonwealth Court, seeking preliminary and permanent injunctions prohibiting the disclosure of school employees' names and home addresses and a declaration that such information is exempt from disclosure under the RTKL. PSEA appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that the Commonwealth Court erred by refusing to exercise its original jurisdiction over their claims for declaratory and injunctive relief. "Plainly, the RTKL, as presently implemented by the OOR, does not provide public school employees with a reliable administrative or judicial method by which to seek redress for action that they believe violates the statutory scheme and/or their constitutional rights. In these unique circumstances, [the Supreme Court had] no difficulty in concluding that it is just and proper for the OOR to be haled into court to address core and colorable issues connected with such treatment at the behest of affected persons and their associations." The Commonwealth Court's decision was vacated and the case remanded for further proceedings.
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