public records lawsuits Tennessee

11 Sep, 2024

Tennessee is getting away with delaying access to public records, sometimes for years

By |2024-09-11T14:16:43-05:00September 11, 2024|Categories: public records lawsuits Tennessee, requests|Tags: , , , , , , |0 Comments

Late last year, the city of Memphis wrote a $7,419.68 check to reimburse the attorney fees of journalist Marc Perrusquia rather than risk losing a public records lawsuit. The city folded before the case got before a judge. Something similar happened this summer in Knoxville when University of Tennessee threw in the towel on the eve of a public hearing in a public records case after stalling for more than a year and half. Tennessee ranked 45th in complying with public records requests, according to one study. We need fewer delays and better compliance with the law.

22 Jul, 2024

Judge cleared release for many Covenant shooting police records despite copyright ruling on manifesto

By |2024-07-24T06:32:25-05:00July 22, 2024|Categories: crime records, public records lawsuits Tennessee|Tags: , , , , , , , |0 Comments

Much attention has been given to a ruling by Chancellor I'Ashea Myles blocking release of the Covenant School shooter's manifesto and other writings. But a closer look at the ruling shows that she has cleared the way for release of other records in the case as soon as police officially finish their investigation. In March, police said the investigation would be over in June. In mid-June, they said it would be over in July. So is a release of records imminent?

14 Jun, 2024

The problem with the court’s witch hunt over the leak of police records in Covenant case

By |2024-06-15T11:03:52-05:00June 14, 2024|Categories: crime records, public records lawsuits Tennessee|3 Comments

The problem with the court's witch hunt into the leak of police records about the Covenant School shooting is that truthful information about the shooting and shooter is being reported to the public from records that should already have been made public. But the records are being held up by a chancellor now more interested in finding and punishing the "leaker" and possibly even the press.

13 Jun, 2024

Judge Myles goes after press for publishing information from leaked documents in Covenant case

By |2024-06-13T21:44:57-05:00June 13, 2024|Categories: crime records, public records lawsuits Tennessee|Tags: , , , , |0 Comments

Davidson County Chancellor I’Ashea L. Myles is going after the press for publishing information from leaked documents from the police investigative file of the Covenant case involving the 2023 school shooting. Specifically, on Monday she ordered Michael Patrick Leahy, editor and owner of the online Tennessee Star, to appear in court on the next Monday, June 17, to explain why his publication of information from leaked documents on his website does not violate her orders and why Leahy should not be held in contempt and sanctioned.

3 May, 2024

Improper use of public records not a reason for sanction, appeals court says

By |2024-05-03T11:59:13-05:00May 3, 2024|Categories: public records lawsuits Tennessee|Tags: , , , , , , , |0 Comments

Beleaguered Brentwood attorney Connie Reguli may have done many things wrong, but filing a public records request for county billing records wasn't one of them. The Court of Appeals on May 2 overturned a Williamson County judge's sanctions against Reguli who was concerned she would use the records to lobby against continued taxpayer funding of the legal defense of a former county employee accused of sexual assault.

Go to Top