A class action lawsuit has been filed against the district attorney's office for allegedly violating the rights of defendant's by making their personal information part of public records. The lawsuit was filed in Cleveland County District Court and claims the Cleveland District Attorney's Office publicizes defendant's Social Security numbers, dates of birth, home addresses and driver's license numbers in violation of Ohio State and federal privacy laws.
The lawsuit claims that nearly 10,000 felony and misdemeanor charges are filed annually in Cleveland County and therefore 10,000 people are made susceptible to identity theft each year. It claims the government is not protecting citizens, but exposing their private information. The lawsuit seeks damages for violating personal privacy rights; an injunction prohibiting the district attorney from publishing defendants' personal information; and an order requiring Cleveland County to go back through its records to redact the private information already published.
