America's Return to Independence

Data Practices Act Defendants in Marvin Pirila & Gail Francett e v. Thomson Township, etal., denied access to relevant information to their legal matter pursuant to the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (MGDPA), even after learning it did not apply to them.   The MGDPA does not apply to towns, except those exercising special town powers under Minn. Stat. § 368.01 and located within the 7-county metropolitan area (Minn. Stat. § 13.02, Subd. 11).   Minn. Stat. § 473.121 Subd. 2 defines Metropolitan areas and does not include defendant Thomson Township. Townships are to provide access to public data upon reasonable requests .   In this particular manner, the defendants refused to voluntarily answer information requests, letters, and emails.   Thomson Township attorney David Pritchett interfered with informal discovery by writing plaintiffs and stating they were “… hereby instructed to cease and desist from making contact with such persons for the purpose of obtaining public