Federal court orders release of documents in lawsuit over 2007 Sacramento forest fire

In a case pitting a forest products company against the California Department of Agriculture, the Sacramento Bee sought discovery material filed with the court. A federal district judge ruled that once the materials became judicial records attached to a motion for summary judgment, the public and press should be granted access. -db From The Reporters [...]

ACLU challenges federal government on records of drone attacks killing U.S. citizens in Yemen

The American Civil Liberties Union is suing the Obama administration to force them to release records related to the deaths by drone attacks of three U.S. citizens in Yemen. The administration cited national security in denying the request for the documents under the Freedom of Information Act, but the ACLU said the drone program should [...]

Opinion: Los Angeles schools errs in keeping teacher ratings from public

The Los Angeles Unified School District is thwarting the public’s right to know how teachers rated in value-added evaluations saying that the disclosures would be “embarrassing and painful” to teachers. Parents have the right to know how students are faring under their teachers argues Jim Newton in an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times. -db [...]

Penn State sex abuse scandal may bring changes to open records laws

Because in 2007 Penn State was granted immunity to Pennsylvania’s public records law, the university can keep information out of public reach, but that could change as state legislators question the status quo. Currently the university is under no legal mandate to release records of any transactions concerning the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse except to [...]

Candidate Cain: Public loses when confidentiality agreements settle grievances

The public may never know the truth about alleged sexual harassment by Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain because Cain’s former employer, the National Restaurant Association, signed confidential settlement agreements sealing the lips of all involved. These confidential agreements, argues Wesley J. Smith of the Discovery Institute, often do great harm by shielding dangerous people and [...]

Opinion: Arresting journalists covering Occupy protests an attack on Constitution

The First Amendment establishes a free press with the corollary need for journalists to report freely. When police arrest reporters as they did in Nashville during the Occupy Nashville protests, they are attacking the right of citizens to independent sources on what the government is doing, writes Gene Policinski of the First Amendment Center. -db [...]

Federal appeals court keeps Prop. 8 trial videos on ice

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has delayed its decision on whether to release video recordings of the January 2010 Prop. 8 trial on the constitutionality of banning same-sex marriage. The court is still deciding if the public’s right to know outweighs potential danger to witnesses in favor of Prop. 8, passed by the [...]

Kenneth Starr says time is right for cameras in U.S. Supreme Court

Baylor University President and former Solicitor General Kenneth Starr writes that there are lots of good reasons to improve public access to the deliberations over vital issues by the U.S. Supreme Court. Starr notes that the current court has ruled emphatically for the First Amendment but is loathe to allow the public easy access to [...]

Open government: Whistleblowers win challenge to law protecting them

The Fourth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals has upheld the False Claims Act (FCA) that allows whistleblowers to bring claims for the government to recover damages for fraud committed by government contractors. The American Civil Liberties Union, OMB Watch and the Government Accountability Project sued under the First Amendment and the public’s right to know [...]

Supreme Court: Safety issues debated in Navy freedom of information case

The Supreme Court heard arguments in a case pitting the public’s right to know against national security concerns over potential terrorist acts. -db The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press December 1, 2010 By Stephen Miller The delicate act of balancing the public’s right to know with national security in a time of terrorism [...]

Federal appeals court rejects pleas for anonymity in school admissions suit

A federal appeals court voted not to rehear an appeal by juvenile plaintiffs bringing a civil rights lawsuit challenging the admissions policies of an Hawaii school. -db The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press November 16, 2010 By Stephen Miller Two U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco (9th Cir.) judges voiced strong dissenting [...]

California court unseals records in murder of eight-year-old

Weighing the family’s right to privacy to the public’s right to know, a Superior Court judge released most of the records sought by the media pertaining to last year’s murder of an eight-year-old girl. The judge withheld autopsy photos. -db Tracy Press Jun 14, 2010 By Jaclyn Hirsch STOCKTON, Calif.  — Judge Linda Lofthus decided [...]

Brown Act: Editorial opposes change to open meeting law

To save government agencies money, the Senate Budget Committee wants to suspend the requirement that agendas be posted 72 hours in advance. -db Merced Sun-Star Editorial June. 11, 2010 The same money problems that saw 2009 become the newspaper industry’s worst financial year in history now threaten a key part of the public’s right to [...]

UN sees freedom of information as crucial in promoting justice, development and democracy

In marking World Press Freedom Day, top United Nations officials condemned the killing of journalists, 77 last year, and called for countries to protect those working in the media. -db UN News Centre May 3, 2010 Marking the annual World Press Freedom Day, top United Nations officials have called for promoting the universal right to [...]

California legislature refuses to divulge details of lawmakers’ travel

Although California lawmakers ran up a bill for airfare for over $2 million in the last two and a half years, the legislature is refusing to release to the public the destinations or records that show the trips were official. -db CBS5 March 17, 2010 By Don Thompson SACRAMENTO (CBS 5 / AP) ― California [...]