I've volunteered to take point on this issue and do the homework, as a first step towards bringing to the Board for approval.
I've started a wiki page listing some reading material about the case: http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/OrangeCounty_Amicus If anyone has any opinions about the issue (either pro or con!), please email me or email the list or add to the wiki. -mpg > -----Original Message----- > From: discuss-boun...@lists.osgeo.org > [mailto:discuss-boun...@lists.osgeo.org] On Behalf Of Dan Putler > Sent: Friday, December 16, 2011 9:08 AM > To: discuss@lists.osgeo.org > Subject: [OSGeo-Discuss] The amicus curiae brief in the Orange County, > California public records / geo data court case > > Hi all, > > I've been in contact with Bruce Joffe who has been working on an amicus > curiae ("friend of the court") brief associated with two court decisions > that have gone in completely opposite directions in California, one > involving Santa Clara County and the other involving Orange County. The > legal point is the same in both cases, is GIS data (parcel data in > particular) data or is it software? If it is data, then it is covered > under the California Public Records Act, requiring that it be released > to the public for reproduction costs, if it is software, it isn't > covered, and is subject to licensing fees. The judge in the Santa Clara > County case (correctly) determined it was data, while the judge in the > Orange County case (incorrectly) determined it was software. The case is > now heading to the California Supreme Court, and Bruce Joffe is rounding > up potential individuals and organizations to sign on to the amicus > curiae brief. More details about the situation was posted on the > Directions Magazine daily newsletter on Wednesday. Here is the link to > the article: > http://www.directionsmag.com/articles/sierra-club-vs-orange-county-pra-lawsuit-update-december-10-2011/219926 > > My main purpose for posting this information to this list is to > determine if there is some mechanism by which the Open Geospatial > Foundation can be listed as one of the supporting parties in the amicus > curiae brief. I don't know if there is a mechanism for approving this, > but this seems like an issue that we should have a strong interest in. > > Dan > _______________________________________________ > Discuss mailing list > Discuss@lists.osgeo.org > http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss _______________________________________________ Discuss mailing list Discuss@lists.osgeo.org http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss