A legal case filed last year against the Pettis County Commission and its IT department head was dismissed on Thursday without prejudice. The case revolved around surveillance cameras placed in the courthouse. Pettis County Clerk Nick La Strada alleged in the lawsuit that the audio and video recordings from these cameras violated voters’ rights to secrecy in casting their ballots and amounted to an invasion of privacy.

According to the dismissal documents, the county’s IT department director confirmed that all cameras in the courthouse had been deactivated, and both video and audio recordings had ceased. Previous reports indicated that when the clerk’s office relocated to the Pettis County Courthouse in June 2022, they discovered the presence of cameras but were informed by IT staff that audio recording was not taking place.

However, court documents revealed that IT employees could access camera transmissions. The lawsuit also raised concerns about cameras capturing employees in compromising situations, such as while changing clothes or in states of partial nudity.