This case presents question as to whether trial court properly denied plaintiff’s FOIA request seeking, among other things, documents related to defendant-hospital’s directions to staff with respect to reporting patients who had suffered gunshot wounds to law enforcement agents, as well as time/date admission of patients seeking treatment for gunshot wounds who were not accompanied by law enforcement officer. While defendant denied plaintiff’s request based on contention that request sought “private information,” as well as information prohibited by federal and state law, Appellate Court, in reversing trial court, found that disclosure of documents at issue in instant request did not violate patients’ right to privacy, since requested information did not identify particular patient. Moreover, Appellate Court similarly concluded that request did not constitute request for “private information,” where request for specific injury and year of patient’s admission was entirely divorced from any personally identifying information.
Illinois Supreme Court PLAs
Civil Court
Freedom of Information Act