Public Records Archives - Page 39 of 74 - Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

4 Oct, 2016

Metro Nashville must pay nearly $57K in attorneys fees in public records case

By Deborah Fisher|2020-04-09T09:09:40-05:00October 4, 2016|Categories: public records lawsuits Tennessee, requests|Tags: Alex Friedmann, attorneys' fees, Bradley Jetmore, Doug Pierce, Judge Robert E. Lee Davies, Metro Nashville, promptly, public records request, traffic accident reports|0 Comments

Senior Judge Robert E. Lee Davies ordered Metro Nashville to pay nearly $57K in attorneys fees to a public records requester, saying that the city "misinterpreted and ignored the 'promptness' requirement" in the Tennessee Public Records Act. Davies found the city was willful in not complying with the law, a requirement for awarding attorneys fees in a public records lawsuit. Senior Judge Robert E. Lee Davies orders Metro Nashville to pay attorneys fees in public records case that challenged the city's delay in releasing records. Plaintiff Bradley Jetmore filed a lawsuit against the city, claiming Metro Nashville's police department records division had begun delaying release of traffic reports after about [...]

30 Sep, 2016

Learning from Memphis: Media coverage of police shootings

By Deborah Fisher|2019-09-11T18:57:16-05:00September 30, 2016|Categories: crime records, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government|Tags: Amy Weirich, Darrius Stewart, Memphis Police, police body cameras, police shootings, TBI|0 Comments

In Memphis this week, about 80 news reporters, activists, attorneys and college students came together to examine how media can, should and does cover police shootings. The centerpiece was the case of 19-year-old Darrius Stewart, who was shot and killed last year by Memphis police officer Connor Schilling after a traffic stop, sparking protests and concerns from the African-American community. The daylong workshop, developed by the Memphis Bar Association, comes at a time of national attention on police shootings, driven often by dramatic video recorded by bystanders and family members. The video and circumstances around the shootings have raised questions about the use of lethal force and racial bias. (See: [...]

8 Sep, 2016

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

By Deborah Fisher|2016-09-08T16:59:08-05:00September 8, 2016|Categories: Public Records|Tags: Bill Haslam, Herbert Slatery, Knoxville News Sentinel, Tennessee State Museum|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 [...]

7 Sep, 2016

Advisory Committee on Open Government aims for body camera study, public hearings

By Deborah Fisher|2016-10-10T14:27:47-05:00September 7, 2016|Categories: crime records, Legislature, Office of Open Records Counsel|Tags: Advisory Committee on Open Government, Bob Ramsey, David Rausch, legislature, police body cameras, Rick Hollow|0 Comments

The Advisory Committee on Open Government (ACOG) took the first steps toward a police body camera study last week, discussing ideas for public hearings around the state and how it would develop broad input and conversation. State Rep. Bob Ramsey, R-Maryville, and Chair of House State Government Committee The 14-member group, which is appointed by the Comptroller's Office, represents a wide range of media, government and citizen organizations and is authorized by law to provide written comment on proposed legislation regarding open records and meetings. The House State Government Committee, chaired by state Rep. Bob Ramsey, R-Maryville, asked the open government committee to study the body cam issue after [...]

7 Sep, 2016

Open Records Counsel begins work on model public records policy

By Deborah Fisher|2016-10-10T14:30:00-05:00September 7, 2016|Categories: Office of Open Records Counsel, requests, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government|Tags: Ann Butterworth, fees, model public records policy, Office of Open Records Counsel, requests|0 Comments

Open Records Counsel Ann Butterworth told members of the Advisory Committee on Open Government last week that she hopes to have a final version of a new model public records policy finished by Dec. 15 A new state law requires all government authorities to adopt a public records policy for their government entity by July 1, 2017, and outlines new requirements that must be included. The legislation also instructed the Office of Open Records Counsel to develop a "model best practices and public records policy", working with the Advisory Committee on Open Government, that could be used by governing authorities as a guide. So far, only Tennessee Coalition for Open Government has [...]