Complimentary webinar “Avoiding and managing the threats of ransomware attacks” scheduled to be held on June 28, 2016

Complimentary webinar “Avoiding and managing the threats of ransomware attacks” scheduled to be held on June 28, 2016

Source: NYMuniblog

Ransomware computer attacks are potential disruptors of a organization’s operations. The consulting subsidiary of Harris Beach PLLC, HB Solutions LLC, will hold a complimentary webinar June 28, 2016, focusing on avoiding and managing the threats of ransomware attacks.

Click on HB Solutions Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Team for information about this  program which is being held in conjunction with Access Advisory Group, leaders in cyber protection technology.

For additional information about the webinar and a link to register for the event, click on

http://hbsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Ransomware-Would-You-Trust-a-Thief.pdf

Rather than relying on selective information supplied by the employer, the court itself should review the challenged investigative report relied on by the employer

Rather than relying on selective information supplied by the employer, the court itself should review the challenged investigative report relied on by the employer

2016 NY Slip Op 04422, Appellate Division, Second Department

The petitioner [Petitioner], a tenured teacher, filed a complaint with her employer, a school district, alleging that two teachers in her department were bullying and harassing her. 

Following a preliminary investigation of the complaint by the School District’s Director of Human Resources, the School Board [Board] retained an attorney to conduct an investigation and prepare a written report for the Board's consideration.

Ultimately the Board determined that there was insufficient evidence to conclude that the alleged misconduct rose to the level of "harassment, bullying, discriminatory behavior and/or hostile environment" toward Petitioner.*

Petitioner then commenced a CPLR Article 78 proceeding to review the Board's determination and to compel the production of the investigation report submitted to the Board by the attorney.

Supreme Court denied Petitioner’s motion to annul the Board's determination, but, determining that the Board and the School District had waived any attorney-client privilege as to the investigation report, granted that branch of her petition seeking to compel the production of the report. Both parties appealed from the respective portions of the judgment adverse to them.

The Appellate Division ruled that “under the circumstances,” Supreme Court should have reviewed the investigation report in camera* before determining whether the Board's determination was arbitrary or capricious rather than relying on selective information submitted by the Board and the School District.

Further, said the court, Supreme Court also erred in determining that the Board and the School District had waived the attorney-client privilege with respect to the investigation report without first conducting an in camera review of the report.

Reversing the Supreme Court’s judgment “insofar as appealed and cross-appealed” the Appellate Division remitted the matter to the Supreme Court to conduct an in camera review of the investigation report and then to make a new determinations of the branches of the petition seeking to annul the Board's determination and to compel disclosure of the investigation report.

* The Appellate Division’s decision states that the Board noting that “… the relationship between [Petitioner] and the two other teachers had become an impediment to the effective operation of the …  department … directed the school's administration to take appropriate remedial action, including conducting workplace sensitivity training.

** A review of documents by the court in his or her chambers.

The decision is posted on the Internet at:

http://www.nycourts.gov/reporter/3dseries/2016/2016_04422.htm

Challenging the denial of a Freedom of Information Law request on the representation that the records are exempt from disclosure

Challenging the denial of a Freedom of Information Law request on the representation that the records are exempt from disclosure

2016 NY Slip Op 04417

The petitioner [Petitioner] in this CPLR Article 78 action had filed a Freedom of Information Law [FOIL] request with the custodian of police department records relating to a recent criminal investigation of allegations concerning events that occurred more than 25 years ago. The custodian of the records denied the request, claiming that the entire case file was exempt from FOIL disclosure.

After an unsuccessful administrative appeal, Petitioner initiated litigation to compel the custodian to produce the case file. Supreme Court denied the petition and dismissed the proceeding. Petitioner appealed the Supreme Court’s decision.

The Appellate Division commenced its review of the Petitioner’s appeal by noting:

1. In a proceeding pursuant to CPLR Article 78 to compel the production of material pursuant to FOIL, the custodian of the records denying access has the burden of demonstrating that the material requested falls within a statutory exemption, which exemptions are to be narrowly construed;

2. The denial requires the entity resisting disclosure to articulate a particularized and specific justification for denying access and conclusory assertions that certain records fall within a statutory exemption are not sufficient; evidentiary support is needed; and

3. If the court is unable to determine whether withheld documents fall entirely within the scope of the asserted exemption, it should conduct an in camera* inspection of representative documents and order disclosure of all nonexempt, appropriately redacted, material.

The Appellate Division also noted that Public Officers Law §87(2)(a) provides that a custodian may deny access to records or portions thereof that "are specifically exempted from disclosure by state** or federal statute" while Civil Rights Law §50-b(1) provides a statutory exemption from disclosure for documents that tend to identify the victim of a sex offense. 

However, said the court, Civil Rights Law §50-b(1) "does not justify a blanket denial of a request for any documents relating to a sex crime. If a requested document does not contain information that tends to identify the victim of a sex crime, and the FOIL request is otherwise valid, the document must be disclosed." Further, the custodian must make a particularized showing that “the statutory exemption from disclosure pursuant to Civil Rights Law §50-b(1) applies to all the records that the petitioner seeks.”

The Appellate Division said that Supreme Court should have conducted an in camera inspection to determine whether the entire case file falls within the exemption from disclosure of Civil Rights Law §50-b(1) as any document in the case file containing identifying information is protected by Civil Rights Law §50-b(1) would be categorically excluded in its entirety and not subject to redaction or deletion.

Accordingly, the Appellate Division remanded the matter to Supreme Court for a new determination based upon the court’s in camera inspection of the records claimed to be exempt from disclosure.  

* An inspection of the documents is to held by the judge in his or her private chambers.

** The release of some public records is limited by statute [see, for example, Education Law, §1127 - Confidentiality of records; §33.13, Mental Hygiene Law - Clinical records; confidentiality]. Otherwise an individual is not required to submit a FOIL request as a condition precedent to obtaining public records where access is not barred by statute unless the custodian of the public record[s] sought declines to “voluntarily” provide the information or record requested. In such cases the individual or organization is required to file a FOIL request to obtain the information. It should also be noted that there is no bar to providing information pursuant to a FOIL request, or otherwise, that falls within one or more of the FOIL exceptions that the custodian could rely upon in denying a FOIL request, in whole or in part, for the information or records demanded.

The decision is posted on the Internet at:

http://www.nycourts.gov/reporter/3dseries/2016/2016_04417.htm

Governor Cuomo asks to Port Authority officials to investigate an alleged closure of a Lincoln Tunnel lane for other than official purposes

Governor Cuomo asks to Port Authority officials to investigate an alleged closure of a Lincoln Tunnel lane for other than official purposes

Source: Office of the Governor

On June 21, 2016, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo sent a letter to Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Chairman John Degnan, Vice Chairman Steven Cohen and Executive Director Patrick Foye regarding a reported lane closure in the Lincoln Tunnel.

Governor Cuomo wrote:

Dear Chairman Degnan, Vice Chairman Cohen and Executive Director Foye:

In recent court papers detailing corruption charges against members of the New York City Police Department, it was noted that a businessman “using his connections in local law enforcement agencies, was able to arrange for the closure of a lane in the Lincoln Tunnel and a police escort down that lane for a businessman visiting the United States.” If this is true, it is deeply troubling.

I am hereby directing the New York State and Port Authority Offices of the Inspector General to conduct a thorough examination of what, if any, role agents of the Port Authority played in the circumstances associated with these allegations. The NYPD has no jurisdiction within the tunnels boundaries. If members of the Port Authority or PAPD participated in any fashion – through purpose or neglect – the State will deliver immediate and severe consequences.

The State of New York holds the integrity of public service to the highest standard. When those who are sanctioned to uphold the law use their position for personal gain, it threatens all of us. We will simply not allow Port Authority facilities to be chips in some nefarious pattern of deceit.

Please ensure you are coordinating with the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the Federal Bureau of Investigation before commencing any action.

Sincerely,

Andrew M. Cuomo

Governor Cuomo’s letter is posted on the Internet at:

https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/PortAuthorityLetter06.21.2016.pdf

Removing a town, village, improvement district or fire district officer, other than a justice of the peace, from his or her office

Removing a town, village, improvement district or fire district officer, other than a justice of the peace, from his or her office

2016 NY Slip Op 04420, Appellate Division, Second Department

The Village Board [Village] adopted a resolution appointing its Village Clerk/Treasurer [Clerk] for a two-year term. Village subsequently advised Clerk that it had suspended her with pay following her arrest for allegedly “shoplifting” and ultimately adopted a resolution terminating Clerk's “employment by the Village.”

Clerk commenced a CPLR Article 78 action seeking a court order compelling Board to reinstate her to her office retroactively with full back pay, alleging, among other things, that Village’s action terminating her from office was arbitrary and capricious, and in violation of Public Officers Law §36. Village answered the petition and subsequently moved to dismiss the proceeding.

Supreme Court, without deciding the merits of Clerk’s petition, determined that the Village did not raise any objections in point of law that could terminate the entire proceeding, denied the Village's motion to dismiss Clerk’s petition and transferred the proceeding to the Appellate Division.

The Appellate Division opined that, as the challenged determination by Village was not made after a quasi-judicial evidentiary hearing, Supreme Court erred in transferring the matter to it. However, “in the interest of judicial economy,” the court elected to retain jurisdiction and determine the issues raised by Clerk on their merits.

Considering the relevant law, the Appellate Division ruled that Village lacked the authority to remove Clerk, a Village officer, from her position by adopting a resolution to that effect.

The court explaining that a Village officer could only be removed from his or her office in accordance with the procedure set forth in Public Officers Law §36, noting that §36 provides, in relevant part, that any Village officer "may be removed from office by the supreme court for any misconduct . . . An application for such removal may be made by any citizen resident of such . . . village . . . or by the district attorney of the county in which such . . . village . . . is located, and shall be made to the appellate division."

Further, §36 provides that “Such application [to the Appellate Division in the appropriate judicial department] shall be made upon notice to such officer of not less than eight days, and a copy of the charges upon which the application will be made must be served with such notice.”

The Village’s action to terminate Clerk from her public office by adopting a resolution so doing was, in effect, a nullity as Village lacked the authority to remove Clerk from her public office by resolution. As no application to the Appellate Division to remove Clerk from her office had been made as mandated by Public Officers Law §36, the Appellate Division granted Clerk’s petition to the extent that Village’s action was annulled and the matter remitted to the Supreme Court to determine the appropriate remedy.

The decision is posted on the Internet at:

http://www.nycourts.gov/reporter/3dseries/2016/2016_04420.htm

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