News - Page 3 of 131 - Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

31 Jul, 2025

After challenge by WBIR, judge opens juvenile court proceedings, records
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After challenge by WBIR, judge opens juvenile court proceedings, records

crime records, Open Courts

After challenge by WBIR, judge opens juvenile court proceedings, records

By Deborah Fisher|2025-07-31T12:15:44-05:00July 31, 2025|Categories: crime records, Open Courts|Tags: court access, Judge Casey Stokes, juvenile court, juveniles, Local Legal Initiative, Meigs County, Paul McAdoo, WBIR|0 Comments

After a challenge from WBIR in Knoxville, Meigs County Judge Casey Stokes reversed his closure of court proceedings and records in a juvenile murder case, opening future proceedings and access to most documents, including transcripts of previous hearings. WBIR reported on Monday the more detailed allegations against the 15-year-old revealed in the newly released court records: She went to bed angry that her father had taken away her phone and was trying to keep her from her boyfriend. Waking up later, she loaded her gun, checked on her younger brother and debated for about 20 minutes in her room before deciding to go into the living room and shoot her [...]

23 Jul, 2025

What it takes to win an open meetings lawsuit in Tennessee — a look at the Memphis superintendent case
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What it takes to win an open meetings lawsuit in Tennessee — a look at the Memphis superintendent case

Open Meetings, open meetings lawsuits, school boards

What it takes to win an open meetings lawsuit in Tennessee — a look at the Memphis superintendent case

By Deborah Fisher|2025-07-23T14:02:34-05:00July 23, 2025|Categories: Open Meetings, open meetings lawsuits, school boards|Tags: Johnston v. Metro. Gov't of Nashville, Marie Feagins, Shelby County School Board|0 Comments

The Court of Appeals has ruled that discussions by members of governing bodies in private can violate the open meetings law, but someone bringing an open meetings lawsuit must present enough evidence to show that the members meeting privately were deliberating, engaging in substantive discussion about their positions or attempting to develop a consensus. Whether fired superintendent Marie Feagins can do that in her case against the Memphis-Shelby County School Board is up to a judge. But the public also has a role in deciding what kind of transparency they want from their local school board.

10 Jul, 2025

Judge rules Chattanooga City Council violated open meetings law with so-called informational meetings
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Judge rules Chattanooga City Council violated open meetings law with so-called informational meetings

Open Meetings, open meetings lawsuits

Judge rules Chattanooga City Council violated open meetings law with so-called informational meetings

By Deborah Fisher|2025-07-10T11:55:46-05:00July 10, 2025|Categories: Open Meetings, open meetings lawsuits|Tags: Chattanooga City Council, informational meetings, Paul McAdoo, private meetings, public notice, redistricting, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, Times Free Press|0 Comments

A judge found that the Chattanooga City Council violated the Open Meetings Act in developing its new voting district maps in 2021 and 2022. The city's arguments that closed meetings were simply "informational" and contained no deliberations or decision-making was refuted by evidence that included council members own comments about the process. In addition, the judge found that serial meetings held by city staff with each council member to get approval of a proposed map before presenting it in public at a full council meeting violated the open meetings act.

2 Jul, 2025

Let’s revisit the Declaration of Independence to remember our freedoms
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Let’s revisit the Declaration of Independence to remember our freedoms

Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

Let’s revisit the Declaration of Independence to remember our freedoms

By Deborah Fisher|2025-07-02T10:45:27-05:00July 2, 2025|Categories: Tennessee Coalition for Open Government|0 Comments

The framers of the Declaration of Independence believed everyone should think for themselves and we don't have to rely on a "minister of truth" to command our thoughts and expression. In this column, Larry Burris reminds us of the phrases in the Declaration of Independence that put the people ultimately in charge in the government and the need of the people to have information about government to keep themselves informed.

1 Jul, 2025

Tennessee is not tracking how many vouchers will go to existing private school students
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Tennessee is not tracking how many vouchers will go to existing private school students

Legislature, schools

Tennessee is not tracking how many vouchers will go to existing private school students

By Deborah Fisher|2025-07-02T08:33:26-05:00July 1, 2025|Categories: Legislature, schools|Tags: Education Freedom Scholarship Act, Gov. Bill Lee, vouchers|0 Comments

Tennessee is not tracking how many of its new education vouchers to attend private schools go to students already in private schools as opposed to those in public schools. It stands alone among states in preventing that information from reaching the public and keeps hidden an important policy outcome in the program.