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Accessible from virtually anywhere, creatable by virtually anyone, and able to provide virtually any kind of digital, infinitely copy-able content, Internet websites present a myriad of legal issues for all website owners to consider. Websites operated by a government entity — with which we are concerned here — implicate additional, important constitutional and statutory obligations that are not applicable to private entities. As a means for providing government information, communicating more directly with citizens, and for providing efficient government services, such websites obviously hold great promise. However, government entities that do so should be aware that this new tool for citizen interaction carries with it the potential for legal entanglement  on several fronts.

Over the last year, Jim Baller, Sean Stokes and Casey Lide of the Baller Herbst Law Group, P.C., have  represented the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors and dozens of  municipalities, counties, public power utilities and rural cooperatives in the Adelphia bankruptcy,  working with New York bankruptcy counsel Ronald Cohen of Seward & Kissel. The following is an overview of bankruptcy law and practice, with emphasis on the rights of local governments and consumer-owned electric utilities. It is offered merely for general informational purposes is not intended as legal advice.