Court: Ohio didn’t violate laws

Associated Press

CINCINNATI

A federal appeals panel has ruled that Ohio officials did not violate federal privacy laws in disclosing personal information from drivers’ records.

The ruling reversed a lower court decision and ordered dismissal of a 2009 lawsuit filed against Ohio’s public-safety and motor-vehicle agencies by three Cincinnati residents. They say records went to a company that distributes public records databases.

Atty. Charles T. Lester Jr. says they have not decided whether to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The lower court ruled that state officials could be sued for allegedly disclosing personal information for a purpose not permitted by the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act and that a “reasonable official” would have understood the disclosures would violate the law.

The appeals panel found rights under the law were not “sufficiently clear.”