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Coalition News

New ruling in FAC case opens door to release of state bar records needed for affirmative action research

FAC June 10, 2011

In an important decision on freedom of information, a California appeals court today ruled that State Bar records about the race and ethnicity of Bar applicants are subject to a “common law” right of public access which, following further proceedings, could result in their disclosure–stripped of all names and identifying information–for academic research into the effects of affirmative action policies. The decision, in a lawsuit filed by UCLA Professor Richard Sander and the First Amendment

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FAC and Sac Bee, in major court victory, gain access to pension payments, by name, to county retirees

Peter Scheer May 12, 2011

A California appeals court ruled May 11 in favor of FAC and the Sacramento Bee in a case involving public access to information about government pensions. The third district Court of Appeal ruled that the California Public Records Act requires county governments–in this instance, Sacramento–to disclose, by employee name, pension amounts paid to retired county employees. Both the Sacramento Bee and FAC sued the county after being denied the pension information.  San Francisco attorney Karl

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FAC leads amicus signed by 90+ publications in Brown Act case begun by the late Rich McKee

FAC May 6, 2011

A FAC led amicus brief joined by more than 90 newspapers and other publications was filed Thursday in an appeal of a Brown Act law suit involving  the Tulare County Board of Supervisors.  The suit challenges the supervisors’ practice of holding lunchtime meetings–regularly and often–that were nonpublic and held without notification to the public or media. The plaintiffs–the late Rich McKee, CNPA and the Visalia Times-Delta–argued that the lunches, which were charged to the county

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Download Sunshine Week Coast to Coast

FAC March 14, 2011

Sunshine Week 2011 has arrived and this year FAC has partnered with the NFOIC (National Freedom of Information Coalition) to provide a mobile version of their comprehensive Sunshine Week listings. Sunshine Week Coast to Coast, featured on FAC’s iPhone App, iOpen Gov, is  a guide to the events, resources, editorials, news and special features happening nationwide. The free app for iPhone, iPodTouch and the iPad, enhances the event listing with app tools that make it

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FAC’s Duffy Carolan honored by journalists’ group

Peter Scheer February 15, 2011

First Amendment lawyer Duffy Carolan–who is also a long-time Board member of the First Amendment Coalition–will receive a special honor from the Society of Professional Journalists (NorCal Chapter) at an award ceremony on March 16. Carolan, a lawyer in the San Francisco office of Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, is receiving the organization’s “Legal Counsel” award in recognition of 20 years of successfully defending media clients, individual journalists and others in free speech, libel, and freedom

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