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Showing 491 - 500 of 684 results

  • Asked and Answered

    CPRA

    Request for documents on Tax Lien Sale denied. Why?

    […] response. Gov’t Code § 6255(b).There is also no requirement that you provide your name, address, or reason for the request. Gov’t Code § 6257.5.There are sample request letters on the First Amendment Coalition website at http://firstamendmentcoalition.org/category/resources/access-to-records/ As you may already know, the Public Records Act provides that public records including "any writing containing information […]

    October 6, 2011

  • Asked and Answered

    How Can I Request All Audio and Video of My Arrest?

    […] procedures…or security files compiled by any other state or local police agency, or any investigatory or security files compiled by any other state or local agency for correctional, law enforcement, or licensing purposes." Cal. Gov. Code § 6254(f). The exemption for "investigatory records" applies "when the prospect of enforcement proceedings becomes concrete and definite."Williams […]

    August 8, 2020

  • Latest News

    Blog

    Taxpayers Going Postal Over Public Employee Pensions, Perks. Unions’ miscalculation: Opting for secrecy.

    […] Brown Act to make state and local government more transparent. Because unions enjoyed broad-based political support, efforts to enhance government accountability and responsiveness to voters were seen-- correctly--as benefiting the unions and their members.The public interest and public employees' interests were aligned. But the unions switched strategies. Although the change was gradual, by the […]

    June 11, 2010

  • Asked and Answered

    CPRA Police Records

    Denied records of homicide investigation

    […] computer report to extract data." Gov't Code § 6253(c). From a practical perspective, it might be useful to follow up your initial request with a written follow-up letter setting out when you made the initial request and describing the subsequent (in)action of the agency. It might be useful to explicitly note the offer of […]

    December 23, 2011

  • Asked and Answered

    CPRA

    911 transcripts

    […] writing (within 10 days) and specify the exemptions to disclosure on which they are relying.   A sample written request can be found at the following link: https://firstamendmentcoalition.org/cpra-primer/sample-cpra-request- letter/ It is possible the agency that maintains the transcript or tape may try to claim that it is protected from disclosure by Government Code section 6254(f), […]

    June 14, 2009

  • Asked and Answered

    Brown Act CPRA

    Are a city manager’ meetings with his staff covered by the Brown Act?

    […] the public interest served by disclosure of the record."  Govt. Code § 6255(a). You can find more information about the Public Records Act, including a sample request letter, on the FAC’s website here. Bryan Cave LLP is general counsel for the First Amendment Coalition and responds to FAC hotline inquiries. In responding to these […]

    January 18, 2015

  • Asked and Answered

    Brown Act

    Sign-in cards for public comment

    […] item" suggests that comment should be allowed before or during each individual item.  Conceivably, a single comment period at the beginning of the meeting could satisfy the letter of the law, but the Act seems to have been interpreted to provide for comment on each item. See, e.g., Chafee v. San Francisco Library Commission, […]

    June 14, 2009

  • Latest News

    Blog

    How FAC Fights for Police Transparency

    […] and use of force. The guide, updated in 2023, includes a detailed legal guide with relevant statutes and court interpretations, along with a FAQ and sample request letters. CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RECORDS ACT PRIMERThis handbook offers an overview of our state’s main freedom of information law, with discussion of exemptions, fees, and best practices for […]

    August 9, 2023