Divided 8th Circuit strikes down Minn. judicial-campaign restrictions

A divided federal appeals court ruled yesterday that Minnesota’s restrictions on fundraising and endorsements by judicial candidates violated their free-speech rights, overturning parts of the state code of judicial conduct. July 30, 2010 By The Associated Press ST. PAUL, Minn. —A sharp dissent warned that the change could threaten public trust in impartial courts. The [...]

Nev. high court tosses portion of state’s ethics law

The Nevada Supreme Court struck down as unconstitutional a portion of the state’s ethics law yesterday in a case involving Sparks Councilman Michael Carrigan. July 30, 201o By The Associated Press CARSON CITY, Nev. —The high court said the law the Nevada Ethics Commission relied on when it censured Carrigan for voting on the controversial [...]

CalPERS sued for documents related to failed $100 million investment in Page Mill properties

The First Amendment Coalition has sued CalPERS to obtain records on why the pension fund invested $100 million in Page Mill Properties, the biggest residential landlord in East Palo Alto -SMD Palo Alto Daily News By Bonnie Eslinger July 20, 2010 A nonprofit public interest organization has sued CalPERS to obtain records that may shed [...]

Superior Court judge shows no enthusiasm for allowing access to State Bar exam records

A San Francisco Superior Court judge has tentatively ruled against the attempts of a UCLA professor to obtain State Bar exam records for the purpose of studying the effects of affirmative action on minority law students. -db The Recorder March 18, 2010 By Mike McKee SAN FRANCISCO — A law professor’s long-proposed study about affirmative [...]

Santa Clara County pays $500,000 in legal fees to settle FAC suit

FAC’s victory in a lawsuit against Santa Clara County over access to digital mapping data has resulted in the county’s release of the data and payment of $500,000 to FAC’s lawyers, a record-high fee recovery in a California public records case. -DB San Jose Mercury News October 7, 2009 By John Woolfolk Santa Clara County’s [...]