[JURIST] The New York Court of Appeals [official website], the state's highest court, ruled Thursday that the New York City Fire Department [official website] must release portions of audiotapes and transcripts from 911 calls related to the 2001 terrorist attacks. Specifically, it held that the Fire Department must release the operator's side of the conversations, but due to privacy concerns, should edit out words spoken by callers. Additionally, the Fire Department only should release dispatches consisting of factual statements, as opposed to opinions or recommendations. Th court said the Fire Department could go to court on a case-by-case basis if it believed that specific information, although meeting the above criteria, should not be released because it would cause pain or embarrasment. The ruling came in response to a New York Times request to examine the tapes. Read the opinion [PDF]. AP has more.