AG: No anonymity in sanctions lawsuit

The Arizona Republic

Published: 12.28.2007

PHOENIX - The state Attorney General's Office and Arizona's 15 county attorneys want business groups suing to block the state's new employer sanctions law to reveal the names of three employers who knowingly employ illegal immigrants.

The business groups' lawsuit seeks to keep the employer's names secret, a request that brought a sharp response from the state. The businesses were added to the suit to show that the new law could cause harm, attorneys said.

The county attorneys and the Attorney General filed a motion Friday asking U.S. District Court Judge Neil Wake to deny the business groups' request to keep the names private.

"A strong presumption exists in favor of openness in court proceedings, including identification of parties and witnesses by their real names," Attorney General Terry Goddard wrote in response to the request for secrecy. Anonymity is usually granted in cases where there is "highly sensitive" or private information, such as disputes involving abortion, mental illness, children, birth control and religion, he wrote. "Embarrassment or economic harm is not enough to justify anonymity," he contended.