Martin D. Red Patterson, as a Citizen of the State of Tennessee, and as Business Manager of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 369 v. The Convention Center Authority of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson Co.
This case addresses whether the residential addresses of employees of third-party contractors, found in payroll records submitted to the Convention Center Authority (CCA), are exempt from disclosure under the Tennessee Public Records Act (TPRA). Petitioners, Martin D. Patterson and Wayne Wells, sought these records to investigate compliance with prevailing wage laws and local hiring commitments for a public construction project. The CCA had redacted employee home addresses and social security numbers, citing privacy rights and exemptions under state and federal law. The trial court ruled that home addresses were not exempt and ordered their disclosure, though it denied attorney's fees to the petitioners. The Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court's judgment, holding that the TPRA does not explicitly or implicitly exempt such addresses from disclosure, and federal FOIA balancing tests are not applicable to the TPRA's framework. The appellate court further upheld the denial of attorney's fees, acknowledging the CCA's good faith in resisting disclosure.