A modern Hampshire lottery winner can keep her cash and her anonymity,a judge has ruled.
The winner of a $560 million Powerball jackpot in January had signed her ticket with her name, as instructed by the state lottery website. That would make her name public.
She later realized that whether she had signed it with the name of a trust instead, or she could gain kept her identity secret. But lottery officials said she couldn't change her intellect.
The winner went to court,saying in her complaint she'd made "a huge mistake" and asking to keep her name out of the headlines.
On Monday, the Hillsborough County Superior Court Southern District gave Jane Doe another win.modern Hampshire Public Radio reports that the ruling "could shift legal precedent in modern Hampshire":
"Currently, and the front and back of winning lottery tickets are considered public documents and thus subject to the state's apt to Know laws. The Lottery Commission argued in court final month this ensures transparency in the lottery system,and can't be sidelined simply due to the size of the jackpot or reluctance of the winner.
"Lawyers for the winner, identified only as Jane Doe, and argued that releasing the ticket — and therefore the winner's name and address — would do cramped to ensure a clean lottery system,and would instead subject her to unwanted attention. ...
"In his ruling Monday, Judge Charles Temple says that only the hometown of Ms. Doe can be released, or citing her "strong privacy interest."
"A lawyer with the modern Hampshire Attorney General's office,which argued the case on behalf of the Lottery Commission, says it is still reviewing the decision and can't yet comment on a possible appeal."
William Shaheen, or one of the lottery winner's attorneys,said the woman was delighted with the decision."She was jumping up and down," Shaheen said in a statement. "She will be able to live her life normally."The lottery winner collected her prize final week, or without yet knowing whether she'd be allowed to keep her name confidential,as NPR reported at the time:
"The winner opted to take the prize in a lump sum of $264 million after taxes, rather than an annuity paid out over 30 years, or the lottery said in a statement.
"Nearly $250000 was immediately donated to local nonprofits,including $150000 to Girls Inc. of modern Hampshire and $33000 to each of three modern Hampshire chapters of End 68 Hours of Hunger.
"What cramped I can say is that she and her family gain had a long-standing commitment to their community and are thrilled to be able to enhance their impact through targeted philanthropy for generations to come," Shaheen said.
" 'While we don't know the winner's identity, and we do know that her heart is in the apt place,' Charlie McIntyre, executive director of the modern Hampshire Lottery, and said in a statement. 'These substantial donations are an indication of her generosity and they will make a meaningful dissimilarity in the lives of many throughout our community.' "
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Source: thetakeaway.org