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  • Handbooks

    California Public Records Act Primer

    This handbook is a project of the First Amendment Coalition. Our gratitude to James Chadwick, formerly of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, author of the 2006 guide. Updates by staff of the First Amendment Coalition: Legal Director David Loy and Legal Fellows Monica Price and Khrystan Policarpio, with contributions from Advocacy Director Ginny LaRoe […]

    July 8, 2024

  • Asked and Answered

    CPRA School Records

    What portion of personnel files are exempt from CPRA disclosure?

    Exactly what portion of personnel files are exempt from disclosure under the Cali fornia Public Records Act? Specifically, I am trying to find out whether our child's public school teacher — who was a probationary employee  resigned;  was terminated for cause, or  was "non-reelected" (no reason required per union contract). Our School District maintains […]

    April 22, 2017

  • Asked and Answered

    CPRA

    Can I appeal a records request denial from State Medical Board?

    I made a request to the Cali fornia Medical Board for licensing application information. The Medical Board denied my request and offered no avenues for appeal. By my reading of relevant case law, and admittedly I am not a lawyer, this information is clearly not exempt from the Public Records Act. Are there avenues […]

    August 22, 2011

  • Asked and Answered

    CPRA

    FOIA request California State Parks internal investigation

    […] the public and must be disclosed unless a specific provision of the Act or other law exempts them from disclosure.  If the agency is claiming a particular  exemption, it must not only cite the particular exemption, but how it applies to the requested records.  It is hard to imagine how the personnel exemption applies […]

    June 1, 2016

  • Asked and Answered

    CPRA Newsgathering

    Should complaints against belligerent councilman be public?

    I am a reporter trying to access public records  for two investigations regarding incidents involving a City Councilman— one at a city-owned clubhouse and the other at a local transit agency. Both of my public records requests have been rejected because officials say it is a personnel matter. In the transit agency’s rejection letter, […]

    August 19, 2011

  • Asked and Answered

    FOIA Police Records

    Accessing Information from ICE

    Local reporters have complained that they have been unable to get basic in formation from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following ICE's recent raids targeting immigration fugitives in northern California. In reporting on raids in which scores of people are arrested and removed from their communities, reporters say that ICE declines to state: […]

    June 14, 2009

  • Asked and Answered

    CPRA

    Personnel Files

    How do I access city personnel files? Particularly performance reviews?

    June 14, 2009

  • Asked and Answered

    CPRA

    City Stonewalls CPRA Request for Sexual Harassment Complaints Against Council Member

    I recently submitted a public records act request asking for all complaints filed by city employees against sitting council members. As a local journalist, I got a tip that a council member may have had a number of sexual harassment complaints filed against him. After asking for several extensions, the city responded today. They […]

    November 8, 2018

  • Asked and Answered

    Brown Act

    Should school superintendent’s goals be made in closed session?

    […] open session. The goals are public. The evaluation of the City Manager in meeting goals in done in closed session. In contrast, the School Board sets  goals for the Superintendent's in closed session. Recently, the new superintendent made her goals available on the District web site. The Board President thanked her in a public […]

    April 13, 2012