Herbert Slatery

15 Jun, 2018

Column: Opioid trial must be completely open

By |2018-06-15T10:58:41-05:00June 15, 2018|Categories: Open Courts, public records lawsuits Tennessee, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government|Tags: , , , , , , |0 Comments

An OxyContin tablet. Purdue Pharma, who makes OxyContin, has asked for a protective order in a Knoxville circuit court to keep concealed some details of allegations by the state of Tennessee that it violated a 2007 court order and the state's consumer protection laws.   In 2007, the state of Tennessee and 25 other states reached a $19.5 million settlement agreement with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, who they alleged was violating consumer laws in the marketing of their cash cow opioid drug. Among other allegations, the states said Purdue engaged in illegal marketing and downplayed the risks of addiction. Tennessee’s portion of the settlement was about $720,000. Kentucky [...]

22 May, 2018

TCOG, KNS file motion to intervene to keep records open in state’s lawsuit against Purdue Pharma

By |2018-05-22T10:15:53-05:00May 22, 2018|Categories: Open Courts, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government|Tags: , , , , , |0 Comments

NEWS from Tennessee Coalition for Open Government: We have filed, along with Jack McElroy, editor of the Knoxville News Sentinel, a motion to intervene in the state's opioid lawsuit against Purdue Pharma to oppose and object to any order restricting public access to records, exhibits, testimony, pleadings and other materials in the case. Deborah Fisher Read: Motion for leave to intervene Memorandum of law, citations of authority and argument in support of motion for leave to intervene Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery filed the action against OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, L.P. on May 15 in Knoxville Circuit Court. The complaint was filed under seal with an accompanying motion [...]

16 May, 2018

Will Purdue Pharma be able to keep Tennessee’s opioid lawsuit sealed?

By |2018-06-12T12:19:54-05:00May 16, 2018|Categories: Open Courts|Tags: , , , , , |0 Comments

The lawsuit by the state of Tennessee against Purdue Pharma in a Knoxville Circuit Court yesterday was filed under "temporary" seal to allow the company time to seek a protective order to keep it from the public's eye. Will the company be successful? Tennessee is not the only state suing the OxyContin maker. Purdue Pharma is facing 22 state lawsuits to date that, similar to this one, allege the company misrepresented the drug's risks, broke consumer protection laws and helped cause an expensive public health crisis now being shouldered by taxpayers. It also is facing hundreds of other civil suits. Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery Attorney General Herbert [...]

8 Sep, 2016

News-Sentinel: Details about Tennessee State Museum donors should be public

By |2016-09-08T16:59:08-05:00September 8, 2016|Categories: Public Records|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

The Knoxville News-Sentinel makes the case that a foundation that was set up entirely for one purpose - to raise money for the state-owned Tennessee State Museum - should disclose details about donations that will help fund a new building. The foundation has a big job: It's supposed to raise $160 million to add to the $120 million committed by the Legislature for a new place. Gov. Bill Haslam is leading the fundraising effort. And it's an admirable cause. We don't have to go into too much detail here about the need for transparency in foundations with ties to government or government officials. In this case, there's an easy answer that would [...]

5 May, 2016

AG: Search firm records are open in school director search, Open Meetings Act may apply

By |2017-01-06T15:25:27-06:00May 5, 2016|Categories: Attorney General Opinions, schools|Tags: , , , , |0 Comments

The Attorney General in a new opinion says that records in a school director search are open for public inspection, even if the records were obtained by a third party hired by a school board to conduct the search. The entity might also be subject to the Open Meetings Act, depending on factors such as the circumstances of its involvement with the government body, its authority and its structure, the AG said. State Sen. Mike Bell, R-Riceville State Sen. Mike Bell, R-Riceville, said he requested the opinion because some constituents were concerned about the transparency of the search to fill the Cleveland City School's director position. The school board hired the [...]

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