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Court: Customer ZIP Codes Against Calif. Privacy Laws

LOS ANGELES (CBS/AP) — The next time you're getting rung up at your favorite store, you won't have to hand over your personal info along with your card.

The California Supreme Court says merchants in the state can no longer ask credit card customers for their ZIP codes.

The high court ruled unanimously on Thursday that asking for ZIP codes violates a longstanding California law passed to protect the privacy of credit card users.

The decision came in a lawsuit against Williams-Sonoma Inc., whose clerk asked Jessica Pineda for her ZIP code several years ago. Pineda sued the company in 2008, alleging the retailer violated the credit card law and her privacy.

The court, led by Justice Carlos Moreno, didn't address Pineda's privacy claims. But it agreed that the retailer's request violated provisions of the law passed in 1990 that protects consumers from divulging personal identification information.

The ruling overturned an appeals court decision tossing out the lawsuit.

(TM and © Copyright 2010 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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