public records lawsuits Tennessee Archives - Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

3 Apr, 2025

Metro Nashville Police release report on Covenant School shooting
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Metro Nashville Police release report on Covenant School shooting

crime records, public records lawsuits Tennessee

Metro Nashville Police release report on Covenant School shooting

By Deborah Fisher|2025-04-04T13:49:54-05:00April 3, 2025|Categories: crime records, public records lawsuits Tennessee|Tags: copyright, Metro Nashville, police records, The Covenant School shooting|0 Comments

More than two years after a shooter blasted into the Covenant School in Nashville and killed six people, including three third-graders, the Metro Nashville Police Department on April 2 released a 48-page investigative case summary officially announcing the end of the case. Records of shooter's writings collected by police continue to be part of a lawsuit on appeal at the Court of Appeals in which a chancellor ruled copyright prevented their release.

13 Feb, 2025

UT pays $60K in attorney fees to settle WBIR public records lawsuit
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UT pays $60K in attorney fees to settle WBIR public records lawsuit

public records lawsuits Tennessee, public university records

UT pays $60K in attorney fees to settle WBIR public records lawsuit

By Deborah Fisher|2025-02-13T19:28:51-06:00February 13, 2025|Categories: public records lawsuits Tennessee, public university records|0 Comments

After a public records lawsuit by Knoxville TV station WBIR, the University of Tennessee has turned over unredacted copies of operating agreements and other documents for a partnership that runs Oak Ridge National Laboratory and paid $60,000 to cover WBIR's attorneys fees and litigation costs.

22 Nov, 2024

Tennessee Supreme Court to hear case on sealed court records
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Tennessee Supreme Court to hear case on sealed court records

court records, First Amendment, public records lawsuits Tennessee, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

Tennessee Supreme Court to hear case on sealed court records

By Deborah Fisher|2024-11-22T11:08:52-06:00November 22, 2024|Categories: court records, First Amendment, public records lawsuits Tennessee, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government|Tags: Angelita Dalton, Cheryl Blackburn, Daniel Horwitz, Paul McAdoo, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, sealed court records, Steve Cavendish, The Nashville Banner|0 Comments

The Tennessee Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case in which a lower court judge refused to unseal court records in a test of the First Amendment right of access by the public to court proceedings and court documents.

11 Sep, 2024

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

public records lawsuits Tennessee, requests

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

By Deborah Fisher|2024-09-11T14:16:43-05:00September 11, 2024|Categories: public records lawsuits Tennessee, requests|Tags: Chancellor John Weaver, delays, John Becker, Marc Perrusquia, Memphis, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, WBIR|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
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Judge cleared release for many Covenant shooting police records despite copyright ruling on manifesto

crime records, public records lawsuits Tennessee

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

By Deborah Fisher|2024-07-24T06:32:25-05:00July 22, 2024|Categories: crime records, public records lawsuits Tennessee|Tags: Chancellor I'Ashea Myles, copyright, Covenant parents, investigative exemption, Metro Nashville, police records, school security, The Covenant School shooting|1 Comment

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?