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FAC

Statement on Judge’s Ruling in Public Access Case Against Kern County Superior Court

FAC July 2, 2020

On Monday, June 29, the FAC and the American Civil Liberties Foundations of Southern and Northern California asked a federal judge to order officials in Kern County to immediately enforce the public’s First Amendment right of access to hearings and trials. The request for a temporary restraining order came as part of a federal civil rights lawsuit the groups filed after documenting more than a dozen instances of members of the public being denied access

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A&A: What can be done about the California Legislature keeping the public out of the Capitol during COVID-19 pandemic?

FAC July 1, 2020

SUBMITTED | MAY 5, 2020 Q: The Legislature reopened May 4 and bills are being discussed, amended, and voted on with zero public allowed in the Capitol or to meet with their representatives. I want to put them on notice that they cannot do this. I also want to discuss whether using 18USC S242; 18USC S245; and 42USC S1983 is possible to tell them they are acting outside the scope of law and will be

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FAC, ACLU Sue for Public Access to Kern County Superior Court

FAC June 26, 2020

BAKERSFIELD — A cornerstone of our democracy is that court hearings and trials are not held in secret. But that’s what happening in Kern County Superior Court where proceedings — including jury trials — are being held out of public view.  In-person access was originally cut off because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but courts across the nation, including many in California, have provided video or audio feeds of court proceedings. In most cases in Kern

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FAC Supports CA Senate Bill 629 to Protect Members of the Press During Protests

FAC June 25, 2020

The First Amendment Coalition supports a California bill that would help ensure members of the news media covering protests are protected from physical assault, arrest, or obstruction of their news gathering activities by law enforcement agencies. FAC, together with the California News Publisher’s Association, California Black Media, Ethnic Media Services and ImpreMedia, submitted a letter in support of Senate Bill 629, which as amended on June 25, 2020, would: ensure an authorized member of the

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FAC to California Judiciary: End Court Secrecy Now

FAC June 15, 2020

The First Amendment Coalition today called on California judicial leaders to put a stop to widespread court secrecy that has occurred throughout the coronavirus pandemic and ensure the public and press have access to hearings and trials as required under the First Amendment and California law. In a letter to the California Judicial Council, the rule-making body of the state’s court system, FAC and its partners cite numerous examples of secret proceedings that have taken place since

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