courts Archives - Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

24 Apr, 2020

In-person court proceedings can resume with certain safeguards and approval

By Deborah Fisher|2020-05-09T13:15:55-05:00April 24, 2020|Categories: Open Courts|Tags: courts, COVID-19, Justice Jeffrey S. Bivins|1 Comment

In what seems to be becoming a pattern with big announcements, Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Sharon Lee shared news of the order first on twitter on Friday morning. The order was posted on the court's website a few hours later. The Tennessee Supreme Court issued an order today modifying its earlier suspension of in-person court proceedings, providing a pathway for in-person court proceedings to resume. The court on March 13 declared a state of emergency for the judicial branch of government in Tennessee, and suspended most in-person court proceedings with some exceptions. (The order was updated March 25.) "Since that time, the State of Tennessee and its citizens have made [...]

22 May, 2018

TCOG, KNS file motion to intervene to keep records open in state’s lawsuit against Purdue Pharma

By Deborah Fisher|2018-05-22T10:15:53-05:00May 22, 2018|Categories: Open Courts, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government|Tags: courts, Herbert Slatery, proprietary records, Purdue Pharma, sealed court records, TCOG news|0 Comments

NEWS from Tennessee Coalition for Open Government: We have filed, along with Jack McElroy, editor of the Knoxville News Sentinel, a motion to intervene in the state's opioid lawsuit against Purdue Pharma to oppose and object to any order restricting public access to records, exhibits, testimony, pleadings and other materials in the case. Deborah Fisher Read: Motion for leave to intervene Memorandum of law, citations of authority and argument in support of motion for leave to intervene Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery filed the action against OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, L.P. on May 15 in Knoxville Circuit Court. The complaint was filed under seal with an accompanying motion [...]

16 May, 2018

Will Purdue Pharma be able to keep Tennessee’s opioid lawsuit sealed?

By Deborah Fisher|2018-06-12T12:19:54-05:00May 16, 2018|Categories: Open Courts|Tags: courts, Herbert Slatery, Judge Kristi Davis, proprietary records, Purdue Pharma, sealed court records|0 Comments

The lawsuit by the state of Tennessee against Purdue Pharma in a Knoxville Circuit Court yesterday was filed under "temporary" seal to allow the company time to seek a protective order to keep it from the public's eye. Will the company be successful? Tennessee is not the only state suing the OxyContin maker. Purdue Pharma is facing 22 state lawsuits to date that, similar to this one, allege the company misrepresented the drug's risks, broke consumer protection laws and helped cause an expensive public health crisis now being shouldered by taxpayers. It also is facing hundreds of other civil suits. Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery Attorney General Herbert [...]

30 Nov, 2017

Court of Appeals gives NewsChannel 5 Phil Williams a win in ongoing libel case by DA

By Deborah Fisher|2017-12-01T07:17:22-06:00November 30, 2017|Categories: Tennessee Coalition for Open Government|Tags: courts, Glenn Funk, Judge Andy Bennett, Judge Richard Dinkins, Judge Willam Acree, Phil Williams, W. Neal McBrayer|0 Comments

The Court of Appeals affirmed today that fair and accurate news reports of judicial proceedings are protected from defamation claims, giving a win to NewsChannel 5 and its chief investigative reporter Phil Williams in an ongoing libel suit by Davidson County's district attorney. The win was also one for the public, who rely on news media to report on what is happening in our courtrooms. NewsChannel 5 chief investigative reporter Phil Williams Davidson County District Attorney Glenn Funk sued NewsChannel 5, owned by Scripps Media, Inc., after reports by Williams were aired in February 2016 that were based on allegations in lawsuits by real estate developer David Chase. [...]

11 Aug, 2015

Broadcasters, others comment on Rule 30 proposal

By Deborah Fisher|2015-08-18T07:12:56-05:00August 11, 2015|Categories: Open Courts|Tags: court coverage, courtroom access, courts, Jack McElroy, Rule 30, Tennessee Association of Broadcasters, Tennessee Bar Association|0 Comments

Deborah Tate, director of the Administrative Office of the Courts, and Michele Wojciechowski, spokesperson for the AOC, address the Middle Tennessee Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists in April about proposed changes to Rule 30, which governs media coverage in courtrooms. Moderated by WPLN's Blake Farmer, chapter president. Tennessee broadcasters and others have filed comments with the Tennessee Supreme Court on its proposed changes to Rule 30, which governs media coverage in courtrooms. The deadline to file comments is this Friday. The court so far has posted on its website 11 comments on the Rule 30 proposal submitted from organizations and individuals, including: Tennessee Association of Broadcasters WMC Action 5 [...]