Filed Date: Oct. 14, 2016
Closed Date: Oct. 18, 2016
Clearinghouse coding complete
On October 14 2016, the plaintiff, a voter in the state of New Jersey, filed her complaint seeking to, as she described, "vote publicly," a term that she did not define. Specifically, plaintiff requested to disclose her identity, change her address, and unseal her court records. Plaintiff referenced a case in which the state court held that domestic abuse victims can, upon request, vote without their residential addresses being made a public record. This aims to protect the victims from future abuse. However, plaintiff did not describe how the case relates to her or her complaint. Nonetheless, Judge Freda L. Wolfson concluded that plaintiff’s identity did appear to be withheld for the purpose of voting in accordance with her cited case.
On October 18, 2016, Judge Wolfson dismissed her complaint, without prejudice, noting that the defendant failed to state a claim. Judge Wolfson explained that (1) the State of New Jersey, as the sole defendant, was not a proper defendant; (2) plaintiff failed to allege the proper statutory basis for her constitutional claims; (3) plaintiff's attack on her previous court orders was inappropriate under the Rooker-Feldman doctrine; and (4) plaintiff failed to plead any facts to support her constitutional claims.
The case is now closed.
Summary Authors
Lucas DeBarros (5/17/2024)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/13356224/parties/cancassi-v-state-of-new-jersey/
Wolfson, Freda L. (New Jersey)
CANCASSI, DONNA IRENE (New Jersey)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/13356224/cancassi-v-state-of-new-jersey/
Last updated Aug. 8, 2025, 7:25 a.m.
State / Territory: New Jersey
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Law Firm Antiracism Alliance (LFAA) project
Key Dates
Filing Date: Oct. 14, 2016
Closing Date: Oct. 18, 2016
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Neither the complaint nor the order include information that characterize the plaintiff. The plaintiff does not appear to be associated with any organization, nor does any information conclusively identify the plaintiff's gender, religion, or race. The plaintiff references a case related to domestic abuse; however, there is no conclusive language indicating that the plaintiff was a victim of domestic abuse.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: No
Filed Pro Se: Yes
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Defendant Type(s):
Facility Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Ex parte Young (federal or state officials)
Constitutional Clause(s):
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Defendant
Nature of Relief:
Source of Relief:
Issues
General/Misc.:
Affected Sex/Gender(s):
Voting: