Maricopa County’s Mugshot Publishing Ruled Unconstitutional by Federal Judges
A recent ruling by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has deemed Maricopa County’s practice of posting mugshots and personal information of individuals booked into their jail as unconstitutional. The decision came in response to a complaint filed by a man who was arrested on an assault charge in 2022 which was later dropped.
The court found that the county’s policy of displaying individuals’ names, dates of birth, height, weight, and hair color on their website could unfairly punish those who have not been convicted of a crime. The “Mugshot Lookup” website maintained by the sheriff’s office lists recent bookings along with detailed personal information and charges.
While transparency is important, the judges concluded that the county’s approach went too far in disclosing sensitive details about individuals. The ruling stated that there was no rational connection between the goal of transparency and the gratuitous release of personal information.
The plaintiff’s due process claims were dismissed by a district court initially, but upon appeal, the 9th Circuit judges reversed the decision. They found that the plaintiff had a valid substantive due process claim against the County for pretrial punishment.
This landmark ruling serves as a reminder of the importance of balancing transparency with individual privacy rights. Stay informed on this developing story by downloading the 12News app for the latest updates.
