Supreme Court Considers FOIA Curbs

Virginia wants to limit information requests to its own residents

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court heard arguments on Wednesday about whether Virginia may permit only its own citizens to make requests under the state's freedom of information act.

The justices appeared to differ about whether such a restriction was sensible, but they seemed largely united that it did not run afoul of the Constitution.

The case, McBurney v. Young, No. 12-17, was brought by Roger Hurlbert, a California man who collects property records for commercial clients, and Mark McBurney, a Rhode Island man who once lived in Virginia and who sought information concerning child support payments. They sued when Virginia refused to comply with their requests under the law.