Appeal in SSN case slated for March 23

Privacy advocate BJ Ostergren will be in court tomorrow defending a ruling last year that enables her to publish records with the Social Security numbers of state officials on her Web site. Ostergren, of Hanover County, posted records with the Social Security numbers of 20 state officials on her Web site to pressure them into keeping the numbers off government Web sites such as those maintained by court clerks. U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne ruled the law violated Ostergren's free-speech rights. The Virginia attorney general's office appealed, and the Richmond-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. The court is located at 1100 East Main St. Courtroom #4 (Room 414D). Read more...