court access Archives - 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 [...]

26 Jun, 2025

Volokh files First Amendment suit against Williamson County over access to court records
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Volokh files First Amendment suit against Williamson County over access to court records

court records, First Amendment

Volokh files First Amendment suit against Williamson County over access to court records

By Deborah Fisher|2025-06-27T16:36:34-05:00June 26, 2025|Categories: court records, First Amendment|Tags: court access, Eugene Volokh, non-residents|0 Comments

Eugene Volokh, a prominent First Amendment scholar, podcaster and author, has filed a lawsuit against Williamson County officials saying its policy of denying access to court records violates the First Amendment.

21 Jun, 2023

Commission on court rules in Tennessee opens meetings to public after federal court order
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Commission on court rules in Tennessee opens meetings to public after federal court order

Open Courts, Open Meetings

Commission on court rules in Tennessee opens meetings to public after federal court order

By Deborah Fisher|2023-06-21T13:36:59-05:00June 21, 2023|Categories: Open Courts, Open Meetings|Tags: Administrative Office of the Courts, Advisory Commission on the Rules of Practice & Procedure, Buck Dougherty, Center Square, court access, First Amendment, Liberty Justice Center, Tennessee Judicial Conference|0 Comments

In a victory for transparency that we should all hopes sticks, an advisory commission that recommends court rules on practices and procedures has started holding meetings open to the public. The open meetings are the result of a federal lawsuit and an order by the judge that said the First Amendment right of access to court proceedings likely requires the meetings to be open.

27 Mar, 2023

Judge: Press likely has a First Amendment right of access to meetings of court rules commission
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Judge: Press likely has a First Amendment right of access to meetings of court rules commission

Open Courts, Open Meetings

Judge: Press likely has a First Amendment right of access to meetings of court rules commission

By Deborah Fisher|2023-06-21T10:41:00-05:00March 27, 2023|Categories: Open Courts, Open Meetings|Tags: Administrative Office of the Courts, Advisory Commission on the Rules of Practice & Procedure, Center Square, court access, First Amendment, Tennessee Judicial Conference|1 Comment

A federal judge in Nashville ruled that the press and the public likely have a First Amendment right of access to meetings of a court rules commission that recommends rules of procedure and practice for all Tennessee courts. U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson ordered that the meetings no longer be closed, and said opening the meetings will create public confidence and transparency, and likely result in better rules.

14 Jun, 2022

Judge declines to issue order allowing press to cover Judicial Conference
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Judge declines to issue order allowing press to cover Judicial Conference

Open Courts, open meetings lawsuits

Judge declines to issue order allowing press to cover Judicial Conference

By Deborah Fisher|2022-06-16T08:28:58-05:00June 14, 2022|Categories: Open Courts, open meetings lawsuits|Tags: Administrative Office of the Courts, Buck Dougherty, court access, First Amendment, Janet Kleinfelter, Liberty Justice Center, Rachel Harmon, Tennessee Judicial Conference, The Center Media, U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw Jr.|0 Comments

A federal judge declined on Tuesday to issue a temporary restraining order requested by a media organization that wanted to cover the Tennessee Judicial Conference annual meeting after getting assurances from a deputy attorney general that the meeting to take place on Wednesday was only an educational "CLE for judges."