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Coalition News

Supreme Court to hold oral argument in FAC case this Wednesday at Boalt Hall. Be there!

Peter Scheer October 7, 2013

Have a few hours to spare this Wednesday, Oct. 9? The California Supreme Court will hear arguments in FAC’s lawsuit against the State Bar (Case No. S194951), starting at 10am. The hearing is being held, not at the Court’s courtroom, but at the UC Berkeley School of Law, Room 215, Boalt Hall. FAC Board member James Chadwick is arguing for FAC. FAC’s co-plaintiff, UCLA Professor Richard Sander, will be represented by LA attorney Jean-Paul Jassy

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Victory for newspaper publisher Tim Crews and FAC in Appeals Court decision

FAC July 19, 2013

A state Court of Appeal has ruled that small-town California newspaper publisher Tim Crews does not have to pay legal fees to a school board he sued over his public records request. The unanimous decision (see Court of Appeal’s opinion below) represents a crucial victory for government transparency and a welcome success for the First Amendment Coalition, which was instrumental in organizing and underwriting Crews’ successful defense. “The appeals court’s decision makes clear that, in

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FAC’s Peter Scheer to speak at May 8 public records litigation seminar

FAC April 26, 2013

What are the practical steps that citizens and media should take before bringing a lawsuit in a public records case? This question will be the focus of discussion for FAC Executive Director Peter Scheer and other top government-access legal specialists participating in the Public Records Act Litigation Seminar, Wed., May 8 in San Francisco. The seminar is designed for public and private attorneys who handle denials of citizen and media public records requests and public

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FAC files suit for logs showing who visited LA’s County Assessor in jail

firstamendment February 28, 2013

PS–The First Amendment Coalition (FAC) has filed a Public Records suit to find out who has visited LA county jail inmate John Noguez, the embattled LA County Assessor who faces twenty-four felony counts for bribery, perjury and related public corruption charges. Noguez was arrested in October, along with an aide and a political contributor, following a political corruption probe into allegations that the Assessor’s Office lowered property tax bills in exchange for campaign contributions. FAC’s

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LAPD’s use of “Stingray” cell-phone monitoring tool revealed by FAC public records request

firstamendment February 15, 2013

BY PETER SCHEER–The records published below–released to the First Amendment Coalition by the Los Angeles Police Department–confirm LAPD’s use, in criminal investigations, of a controversial technology for tracking cell phones. Devices using this technology, “International Mobile Subscriber Identity” locators, operate by mimicking a cellphone tower, causing cell phones that are within range to connect to the device. Their use raises privacy and free speech concerns because they obtain information, not only about a specific phone

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