The death and probate of John A Williams, 96 Walnut St. Oakland, Bergen County NJ
Dear Oakland Borough,
Please accept this electronic request for public records made under OPRA and the common law right of access. I am not required to fill out an official form or use a particular software platform to submit my request per NJSA 47:1A-6(f), which states that an email from a requestor including all of the information required on the adopted form shall suffice in place of a completed form as a valid government record request.
I HAVE NOT been convicted of any indictable offense under the laws of New Jersey, any other state, or the United States.
I WILL NOT use the requested government records for a commercial purpose.
I AM NOT seeking records in connection with a legal proceeding.
Records requested: any reports on the death of John A Williams, 96 Walnut St. Oakland
any information of next of kin, any probate proceedings
My preferred delivery method for response(s) to this request is by E-mail as attachments. Please confirm you have received this request. If you are not the custodian of records, please forward my request to that person and provide their email address to me for future reference.
I am his friend of 47 years and business partner of 38 years.
Yours faithfully,
John Acunto
May 15, 2025
VIA EMAIL: John Acunto
RE: OPEN PUBLIC RECORDS ACT (OPRA) REQUEST
BOROUGH OF OAKLAND
REFERENCE #OP355-2025
Dear Mr. Acunto:
The Borough of Oakland Records Custodian has received your Open Public
Records Act (OPRA) request on 5/14/25. The seven (7) business day deadline
to respond to your request is 5/23/25.
Your request seeks the following records:
• Any reports on the death of John A. Williams, 96 Walnut St., Oakland
• Any information regarding next of kin
• Any probate proceedings
Please be advised that, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 26:8-61, the disclosure of
vital records, including death certificates or any related reports
maintained by the Registrar of Vital Statistics, is strictly limited to
individuals who have a legally authorized right to obtain such records.
This includes immediate family members, legal representatives, or
individuals who can demonstrate a legal interest through documentation
such as a court order or power of attorney. Being a friend or business
associate, though significant, does not meet the statutory threshold for
access.
Additionally, under the New Jersey Open Public Records Act (OPRA),
N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq., requests for documents that are:
• Protected by statute, rule of court, or regulation (such as vital
records),
• Involve confidential or personal identifying information, or
• Relate to matters that are part of a probate court proceeding and thus
fall under the jurisdiction of the Surrogate’s Court (not the Borough
Clerk or Registrar), are not subject to disclosure by the Borough and
are therefore exempt from release.
Accordingly, your request is denied in full based on the above legal
exemptions.
For matters related to probate proceedings, we recommend contacting the
Bergen County Surrogate’s Court, which maintains jurisdiction over wills
and estate administration.
If you believe you have a legal right to access these records, please
provide appropriate legal documentation demonstrating your authority, and
we will be happy to reassess your request.
This response to your request is being provided to you on the first
business day after the custodian’s receipt of said request. These records
are being transmitted to you via email, as per your request. Your request
is now marked as closed and deemed complete. Should you have any
additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact our office.
Sincerely,
Wendi Seelin
Registrar of Vital Statistics
Acting Borough Clerk
Borough Of Oakland
1 Municipal Plaza
Oakland, NJ 07436
(201)337-8111 ext 2001