The 2nd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals rejected the Erie County, N.Y. contention that they could withhold from the public reports measuring their progress in complying with a federal government mandate for prison reforms. (The Buffalo News, August 18, 2014, by Phil Fairbanks)
A 2011 settlement with the Justice Department dismissed the case as Erie County agreed to investigate health and medical issues and provide two reports a year to the federal court. In ruling against the county, the 2nd Circuit found that a First Amendment right in public disclosure that was “integral to our system of government,” that the people necessarily should “have the ability to learn of, monitor, and respond to the actions of their representatives and their representative institutions.” (Courthouse News Service, August 18, 2014, by Adam Klasfeld)