Why I am suing Circuit Court Judge Shera Grant.
The short version: A creator says they're suing a Birmingham-area judge over how Alabama Power, the city, and Flock cameras intersect — a reminder that ALPR fights often get tangled in local power and access battles.
Our Take
"Bring the Receipts" is digging into something we see a lot in this beat: Flock camera deployments don't happen in a vacuum. They get wrapped up in utility contracts, municipal politics, and — apparently in this case — courtroom disputes. We can't verify the specifics of a lawsuit against a sitting judge, and we're not going to pretend we know more than the video shows. But the fact that someone felt compelled to go this route to get answers about Alabama Power, the City of Birmingham, and Flock says something on its own: these systems are often deployed with minimal public transparency, and getting a straight answer sometimes requires litigation, not just a public records request.
That's the pattern we keep flagging. Cities strike deals with Flock, utilities may play a role in siting or power infrastructure, and residents are left piecing together the full picture from FOIA fights and court dockets. Credit to the creator for doing that legwork and putting receipts on camera instead of just asserting claims. Whatever the outcome of this particular case, it's another data point in why local accountability matters more than the marketing copy from Flock's sales team.
If you want to see what's already been documented in your own city, check our camera map, and if you're dealing with a foot-dragging city council or records office, our take-action page has steps that have worked for other residents.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of Bring the Receipts, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.