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FAC Prevails in Effort to Force CA Attorney General to Disclose Police Misconduct Files

A San Francisco judge today ordered California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to begin disclosing police-misconduct files sought by the First Amendment Coalition (FAC)—a victory for government transparency against one of the few remaining police agencies in the state to refuse to comply with Senate Bill 1421, California’s new landmark police transparency bill that went into …

Read moreFAC Prevails in Effort to Force CA Attorney General to Disclose Police Misconduct Files

FAC Moves to Unseal Search Warrants in Illegal Police Raid on SF Journalist

The First Amendment Coalition (FAC) today filed a motion to unseal the San Francisco Police Department’s applications for two search warrants in the case of journalist Bryan Carmody, whose home and office police raided last week, sparking national outrage from press advocates, civil libertarians and many others. Why two judges authorized those warrants—which appear to be …

Read moreFAC Moves to Unseal Search Warrants in Illegal Police Raid on SF Journalist

FAC Moves—Again—To Unseal Records From CA Supreme Court “Secret Docket”

The First Amendment Coalition (FAC) today asked the California Supreme Court to unseal Gov. Gavin Newsom’s request that the Court affirm his decision to pardon a Southern California woman convicted of felonies years ago. Today’s motion is the sixth in a series of motions FAC has filed in the high court in an effort to …

Read moreFAC Moves—Again—To Unseal Records From CA Supreme Court “Secret Docket”

FAC Forces Disclosure of More Documents From CA Supreme Court ‘Secret Docket’

Even more secret records related to former California Gov. Jerry Brown’s request to pardon former state Sen. Rod Wright became public yesterday—the result of an ongoing effort by the First Amendment Coalition (FAC) to shine light on the decades-old California Supreme Court practice of automatically sealing documents related to executive clemency. The once-sealed records released …

Read moreFAC Forces Disclosure of More Documents From CA Supreme Court ‘Secret Docket’

FAC Joins Letter to Sacramento Police Over Treatment of Journalists at Protest

The First Amendment Coalition (FAC) today joined the Committee to Protect Journalists and other press freedom organizations in sending a letter to the Sacramento police department to request a meeting over the treatment of journalist at a recent protest. You can read the full letter below: Chief Daniel Hahn Sacramento Police Department 5770 Freeport Blvd., Suite …

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FAC Sues CA Attorney General to Force Disclosure of Police Misconduct Files

The First Amendment Coalition (FAC) filed suit today against California Attorney General Xavier Becerra for failing to comply with the state’s new, landmark police transparency law. The suit, filed in San Francisco Superior Court, seeks the release of records regarding serious police misconduct—records that all state and local agencies are now required to disclose under Senate Bill …

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FAC, Media Coalition Notch Important Victory in Growing Police Transparency Fight

A coalition of media groups led by the First Amendment Coalition has prevailed in the latest battle in the expanding legal fight over California’s landmark police transparency bill, Senate Bill 1421. On Friday, Judge Charles Treat of the Contra Costa County Superior Court denied a preliminary injunction sought by police unions that would have barred …

Read moreFAC, Media Coalition Notch Important Victory in Growing Police Transparency Fight

FAC, Media Coalition Fight New Effort to Weaken CA Police Transparency Law

A coalition of media groups led by the First Amendment Coalition (FAC) today filed court papers challenging yet another attempt by a police union to undermine a new, landmark police transparency law in California—this time in Los Angeles County. The law (SB 1421), which went into effect on Jan. 1, requires a slew of formerly …

Read moreFAC, Media Coalition Fight New Effort to Weaken CA Police Transparency Law

FAC Forces Disclosure of CA Gov. Brown’s Request to Pardon Former State Sen. Wright

Nearly 300 pages of previously secret documents became public yesterday after the First Amendment Coalition (FAC) filed a motion to unseal records regarding Gov. Jerry Brown’s effort to pardon former state Sen. Rod Wright. The documents—some still heavily redacted—had been originally filed under seal as part of a flawed, longstanding practice in which all papers filed …

Read moreFAC Forces Disclosure of CA Gov. Brown’s Request to Pardon Former State Sen. Wright

Victory for Transparency: CA Supreme Court Rejects Police Union Effort to Gut Landmark Police Transparency Law

In a significant victory for government transparency and accountability, the California Supreme Court today denied a police union’s last-minute effort to undermine the effectiveness of a new, landmark police transparency law, rejecting the union’s effort to make the law (SB 1421) apply only to records created after January 1, 2019. The First Amendment Coalition (FAC) …

Read moreVictory for Transparency: CA Supreme Court Rejects Police Union Effort to Gut Landmark Police Transparency Law