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An Early Win in a New First Amendment Lawsuit

[…] penalties against people who publish any information related to a sealed arrest record, regardless of how the information was acquired or how newsworthy it is. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and FAC attorneys represent the plaintiffs — FAC, FAC Advocacy Director Ginny LaRoe, and First Amendment scholar and blogger Eugene Volokh […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
December 20, 2024
Cases

First Amendment

Martinez et al. v. Fresno (Amicus Brief)

UPDATE: On May 24, 2022, U.S. District Judge Dale Drozd granted the plaintiffs' motion for a preliminary injunction blocking the city’s enforcement of the problematic portion of the ordinance, citing First Amendment concerns. Read the order. Case: Martinez et al. v. City of Fresno, No. 22-cv-00307 (proposed brief of amici curiae) Court: U.S. District […]
- Press Freedom
April 12, 2022
Latest News

FAC Urges Ninth Circuit to Protect Right to Honk Car Horns at Protests

[…] U.S. Court of Appeals About the case: A California woman is challenging a state law that restricts the use of car horns, after she got a ticket for honking at a political protest in 2017. The woman, Susan Porter, was cited for violating Section 27001 of California’s Vehicle Code after offering a few beep-beeps […]

July 15, 2021
Latest News

Press Release

FAC, ACLU Sue City of Fresno for Open Meetings Law Violation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: [email protected] FRESNO, Calif. — Today, the ACLU Foundation of Northern California and the First Amendment Coalition sued the city of Fresno for holding secret budget negotiations in violation of the Brown Act, California’s open meetings law. The lawsuit asks the court to order Fresno to comply with the Brown […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
November 15, 2023
Latest News

Press Release

Reporter Sues Alameda County for Sideshow Law That Criminalizes Journalism

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: [email protected] SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — Today, Oaklandside reporter Jose Antonio Garcia sued Alameda County in federal court over its Ordinance 2023-31, which criminalizes merely being present within 200 feet of a "sideshow" for the purpose of observing it. This law has prevented Garcia, who writes using another family name, […]
- Press Freedom
July 2, 2024
Posts

FAC Supports AB 339’s Open Meeting Provisions

April 1, 2021
Posts

FAC Opposes Legislation that Would Weaken Public Oversight of Government Officials in California

[…] laws under the guise of increasing remote access to meetings. The most problematic provisions undermine the democratic values of open government and oversight of our public institutions for the convenience of politicians — allowing public officials to do the public’s business from private locations that are neither identified nor accessible to the public. And […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
May 13, 2022
Cases

Public Records

San José Spotlight v. City of San José

This case challenged the withholding of texts and emails on former San Jose mayor Sam Liccardo’s personal accounts that were used to conduct city business. CLOSED
- Government Transparency and Accountability
July 19, 2023
Cases

Public Records

City of Gilroy v. Superior Court

In City of Gilroy v. Superior Court, the Court of Appeal held that trial courts lack the authority to hold public agencies accountable for violations of the California Public Records Act beyond ordering the disclosure of specific records. According to this decision, a court could not mandate remedies if an agency failed to conduct […]
- Government Transparency and Accountability
December 20, 2023
Posts

FAC Condemns Sacramento Police Department’s Flawed Media Policy

[…] contrast, a draft that the media organizations proposed to the police department during negotiations last year afforded greater protection to journalists covering demonstrations: it spelled out an exemption for media representatives when officers close a disaster area, and clarified legal protections for journalists’ newsgathering materials. That thenew Sacramento policyshields police from public scrutiny is […]
- Press Freedom
July 23, 2020