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Showing 181 - 190 of 1525 results

Asked and Answered

Brown Act First Amendment

City Council allowing presentation not on the agenda

[…] this presentation was not on the agenda. Our mayor allowed him to speak over the allowed three minute time period and allowed City Council members to ask questions of this man, but the public was not allowed to speak. Can he do this? Also, as of late our Mayor is not allowing has been […]

August 24, 2011
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Blog Events

Sunshine Week Event: Inside the Fight for Public Information

[…] event recap. The coronavirus pandemic has made accessing public information more challenging than ever, with some governments refusing to even respond to requests for public records. Yet news organizations across the country continue to publish essential accountability journalism, breaking through barriers to open government to keep their communities informed. Hear from journalists and open-government […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
- Public Records
March 2, 2021
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Blog

Maybe summoning the press before Parliament isn’t such a bad idea

By Edward Wasserman Alan Rusbridger, editor of London’s Guardian, faced off with British legislators last week about his newspaper’s publishing secrets about official surveillance that were leaked by the fugitive U.S. intelligence contractor, Edward Snowden. Press advocates weren’t pleased. Carl Bernstein, the Watergate-era star who’s on the Mount Rushmore of 20th century media heroes, […]
- Press Freedom
December 18, 2013
Asked and Answered

CPRA

Can I use information revealed in closed session, or is it privileged?

[…] years. When a student was prevented from passing out constitutions on Constitution Day, I publicly criticized the Administration. They retaliated by giving me a terrible teaching evaluation and by forbidding me to use my own writings in my classes. In response, I filed two whistle-blower complaints against the Community College District and several of its […]

September 1, 2016
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Blog

Government officials use personal email and texting to avoid public access laws. Why not use technology to enhance accountability instead of to subvert it?

[…] SCHEER---All public officials favor open government in principle. Who would dare say otherwise? In reality, however, they are in a perpetual search, guided by clever lawyers, for new ways to circumvent disclosure requirements--at best, because they view requests for records as a nuisance, and at worst, because they have something to hide (which can […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
- Public Records
August 22, 2009
Asked and Answered

CPRA

Can the Deliberative Process Privilege be used to avoid answering a deposition?

Is there any new case law on deliberative process privilege? I read on the website that in 2008 the CA court of appeals ruled Prop. 59 didn't eliminate the deliberative process privilege. So, is the fact that the right to know is a constitutional right a dead argument? Can the privilege be claimed to […]

April 22, 2017
Asked and Answered

CPRA

Local School District Records

Can you please direct me to the correct California Public Records Act form I need to use to obtain records from a School District? Do I also need to submit a US FOIA request as well or is a CPRA request sufficient? Are there applicable administrative remedies that need to be exhausted, ie, the […]

June 14, 2009
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FAC Partners with Artists United to Provide Legal Help to Artists Nationwide

[…] about freedom of speech, freedom-of-information, access to court proceedings, and related First Amendment matters. The Legal Hotline is a free service, underwritten by FAC’s donors. Under the new arrangement between AU and FAC, AU members will not only receive the service free, but they will have priority access to the Hotline’s lawyers—the same priority […]

October 11, 2017
Asked and Answered

CPRA

Access to sheriff’s e-mail and phone records

Our new sheriff is using his personal cell phone and personal e-mail for conducting county business. He rarely uses his county-issued phone or his official county e-mail address to respond to citizens, instead public inquiries will be answered via his private e-mail. I believe there is some other activity going on as well, including […]

March 22, 2012
Latest News

FAC partners with Online News Association to assist digital journalists

The First Amendment Coalition is delighted to announce a partnership with the Online News Association to provide ONA members—-digital journalists working primarily for digital media platforms—with legal help on First Amendment and other media law matters through FAC’s Legal Hotline service. The Legal Hotline is a legal consultation service available on FAC’s website. Users […]

May 19, 2016