LMG Rhode Island Holdings, Inc. v. Office of Governor Daniel J. McKee

Syllabus

In these consolidated appeals, the plaintiff, LMG Rhode Island Holdings Inc., appealed from the dismissal of its petition for declaratory and injunctive relief relating to an Access to Public Records Act (APRA) request that it issued to the defendant, the Office of Governor Daniel J. McKee, seeking a list of individuals that have received preferred license plates. The defendant appealed from the denial of its motion for attorneys' fees. The hearing justice dismissed the plaintiff's action after determining that the information requested was protected from disclosure under the Driver's Privacy Protection Act (DPPA). On appeal, the plaintiff argued that the DPPA did not apply to the defendant. The Supreme Court held that the DPPA applies to the Governor's Office when processing preferred-plate applications, and thus the Governor's Office was entitled to the protections of the DPPA. The Court further held that the hearing justice did not abuse his discretion in denying the defendant's motion for attorneys' fees. Accordingly, the Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the Superior Court.