Syracuse University Challenges Victim's Access to 1980s Campus Crime Records
A New York appellate court will review a lower court ruling that limited a rape victim's request for historic police files, after Syracuse University argued the subpoena was overly broad.
Jane Doe, who was attacked with a knife in a university bathroom in 1987, filed a lawsuit under New York's Adult Survivors Act alleging the university failed to protect her. When the Syracuse Police Department agreed to release old crime reports, the university moved to limit the subpoena, describing it as overbroad and geographically excessive. Judge Joseph Lamendola ruled in February to restrict the records to incidents that occurred on university property, excluding surrounding areas.
In June, Doe's lawyers appealed the decision, sending the matter to a state appellate court. The university contends that complying with the full request would impose significant time and financial burdens on the police department. Syracuse University’s vice president of communications declined to comment on the active litigation. The appellate court will hear arguments, and the university must file a response by Sept. 23.
Why it matters
The case tests how far universities can limit victims' access to historical police records in sexual assault lawsuits.
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