requests Archives - Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

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.

21 Jun, 2023

After 2 1/2 years of delays, journalist files public records suit against Memphis over police audits
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After 2 1/2 years of delays, journalist files public records suit against Memphis over police audits

public records lawsuits Tennessee, requests

After 2 1/2 years of delays, journalist files public records suit against Memphis over police audits

By Deborah Fisher|2023-06-21T09:47:12-05:00June 21, 2023|Categories: public records lawsuits Tennessee, requests|Tags: delays, Marc Perrusquia, Memphis Police, Paul McAdoo, public records requests|0 Comments

For 2 1/2 years, Memphis journalist Marc Perrusquia has received perfunctory communications from the city of Memphis that it is still reviewing and considering his records request, each time pushing the date for their response down the road. Perrusquia is asking for audits of a Memphis police program that provides intervention for officers who have exhibited behavior or performance problems. However, the city has stonewalled his request, contacting him 41 times over the 2 1/2 years extending the "time necessary" to complete the request. Now he has filed a lawsuit challenging those delays and in an effort to shake loose the audits.

7 Apr, 2022

Three bills improving open government laws clear House and Senate

By Deborah Fisher|2022-04-08T06:05:19-05:00April 7, 2022|Categories: crime records, Legislature, Open Meetings, requests|Tags: deaths in custody, electronic meetings, jails, prisons, public records requests, State Rep. Jeremy Faison, State Rep. Tim Rudd, State Sen. Kerry Roberts, State Sen. Todd Gardenhire, website|0 Comments

Three bills that improve open government have cleared both the House and Senate. One will improve the transparency of public meetings of hundreds of state boards and commissions. Another brings more transparency to deaths that occur in local jails and state prisons. And the third clarifies language in the public records law that sometimes causes confusion over ID requirements and the responsibility of government to search for records.

21 Sep, 2021

U. of Memphis withdraws proposal to inspect cell phones, charge when someone takes picture of public record

By Deborah Fisher|2021-09-23T09:01:07-05:00September 21, 2021|Categories: requests|Tags: fees for public records, photos of public records, public records rules, rulemaking hearings, University of Memphis|0 Comments

The University of Memphis has withdrawn a proposed rule that would have required public records requestors who took pictures of public records to hand over their phone so the university could check it for what they photographed and would have allowed the university to charge the person a "production cost" even though the university itself did not produce the copies.

31 May, 2021

New law targets people who try to disrupt government operations with public records requests

By Deborah Fisher|2021-06-22T16:31:04-05:00May 31, 2021|Categories: Legislature, requests|Tags: harassment, public records requests, State Rep. Jason Zachary, State Sen. Ferrell Haile|0 Comments

A new law that went into effect in late April will allow government officials to seek relief in court from people who use the public records process with an intent to disrupt government operations. The bill was aimed at curbing public records requests from so-called "bad actors." [...]