Open Access to Courts – Another Example of the Value – Match.com Forced to Give Up Data

The value of open courtrooms can be immense, as illustrated last year by the Garlock trial and most recently by an article in The Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, which is the well-respected and venerable local legal newspaper in Chicago. The paper just ran an article providing an overview of about 1,300 rape and sexual assault allegations in a 2 year year period related to persons who met on Match.com, the dating web site.  The specifics are set out in a July 17, 2105 open access article by Lauraann Wood.  A well-known local plaintiff’s firm (Corboy & Demetrio) has been uncovering the information using discovery in a lawsuit. According to the article, Match tried – but failed – to have the reporter tossed out of the court room. Discovery continues, and the article suggests more data will be provided in the future.