First thing yesterday we noted 192nd Civil District Court Judge Craig Smith's ruling in the red-light camera case in which a plaintiff claimed Affiliated Computer Services doesn't have the legal right to act as a law-enforcement agency. This morning, we received a statement from Frank Librio, spokesperson for the City of Dallas, concerning the judge's order agreeing with the plaintiff -- and why it doesn't apply to the city.
The City of Dallas is not a party to the Amanda Ward v. ACS State and Local Solutions Inc., d/b/a LDC Collection Systems case. The partial summary judgment order in that case dated November 19, 2008, does not affect the City's right to administer and enforce its "red light camera" program, including collecting civil fines from violators.Librio's out of the office and unavailable for further comment, but Danielle McClelland, assistant director in the city's Public Information Office, said the statement was sent out as the result of several media outlets' inquiries into the ramifications of the ruling. The very definition of developing. --Robert Wilonsky
