June 20, 2005

New Jersey Supreme Court Orders Review of Financial Record Privacy

While upholding the conviction of a woman whose bank records were subpoenaed and shown to a jury that convicted her of theft and forgery, the New Jersey Supreme Court on Monday ordered one of its committees to assess whether financial records should have more protection. The court, in a 7-0 decision, found that privacy expectations are sufficiently protected by existing subpoena procedures, which do not require account holders to get notice when a bank is ordered to surrender records. However, "additional protections may be desirable as a matter of policy," the court said.

Supreme Court seeks assessment on bank record privacy, Associated Press, June 20, 2005.