WASHINGTON – The IT Alliance for Public Sector (ITAPS), a division of ITI, announced today it has joined with three other organizations, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, TechNet, and the IT Acquisition Advisory Council, in an Amicus Curiae brief in a case before the Oregon Supreme Court. The matter pertains to a petition by a member of ITAPS for an alternative writ of mandamus, which is legal terminology for a court order that commands a person to do something, or show why he or she should not be forced to do so. In the case, State of Oregon vs. Oracle America Inc. et al, the court summoned five out-of-state residents who are employees of the company to appear before an Oregon court for possible personal liability in the underlying legal case.
“The potential implications of this case have sent ripples of concern throughout the business community,” said Trey Hodgkins, senior vice president for the public sector. “The outcome of the case, and whether or not liability can be extended merely because of employment, is crucial for any company that does business in Oregon. It’s also a matter of fairness for its employees who could become subject to legal liability simply because the company does business in the state. As we await the court’s decision, we believe both of these rulings raise issues that warrant the court’s further review and should be dismissed.”
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