The Connecticut Supreme Court has ordered a judge to hold another hearing to determine whether the names of some University of Connecticut animal researchers can be kept secret to protect their safety.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is seeking the names and grant numbers of UConn researchers found to have violated the national Animal Welfare Act or National Institutes of Health guidelines for the use of animals in research.
The state Department of Administrative Services argued successfully before the state's Freedom of Information Commission that the information was exempted under Connecticut's FOI law.
But a Superior Court judge disagreed, saying the state had failed to prove a safety risk to the researchers.
The high court Wednesday ruled the judge applied the wrong standard in reviewing the case.