John Williams Archives - Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

27 Jun, 2017

Judge rules Fall Creek Falls privatization records should be released

By Deborah Fisher|2020-05-09T13:21:01-05:00June 27, 2017|Categories: exemptions, public records lawsuits Tennessee|Tags: Bill Young, Fall Creek Falls, Janet Kleinfelter, John Williams, Katherine Dix, Nashville Scene, privatization, public records lawsuit, request for proposals|0 Comments

In a win for government transparency, Davidson County Chancellor Bill Young ruled today that government records requested by the Nashville Scene regarding the privatization of Fall Creek Falls State Park should be released and are not covered by an exemption in the Tennessee Public Records Act. Davidson County Chancellor Bill Young Under the exemption, proposals for professional services and related records are open for public inspection only after the state has finished evaluating the proposals. However, in this case, no proposals were received by the state’s May 1 deadline from businesses who wanted to operate the state park. The state argued that this meant any government records related [...]

24 Apr, 2017

Proposed rule change could erode access to court records, lawyers say

By Deborah Fisher|2017-04-25T07:44:42-05:00April 24, 2017|Categories: court records|Tags: court records, Doug Pierce, John Williams, Rick Hollow, Robb Harvey, Tennessee Association of Broadcasters, Tennessee Bar Association, Tennessee Supreme Court|0 Comments

Some of the state’s leading news media attorneys are concerned that a proposed expansion of rules on public access to court records in Tennessee is overly broad and could erode access at the trial court level. The proposed change to the Tennessee Supreme Court rules would expand exemptions to the lower courts with language that one lawyer says is "vague to the point of potential constitutional infirmity." (Gavel illustration by www.weisspaarz.com, licensed under CC BY SA-2.0) The Tennessee Supreme Court has proposed changing Rule 34 “Policies and Guidelines Regarding Appellate Judicial Records,” which defines certain court records not open for inspection, such as unpublished drafts of judicial orders and [...]

26 Oct, 2016

TCOG files amicus brief in Sumner County case over emailed public records request

By Deborah Fisher|2016-10-28T08:03:53-05:00October 26, 2016|Categories: public records lawsuits Tennessee, requests, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government|Tags: Court of Appeals, John Williams, Ken Jakes, Rick Hollow, Sumner County School Board, TCOG news, Tennessee School Board Association|1 Comment

The Tennessee Coalition for Open Government has filed an amicus curiae brief with the Court of Appeals in Nashville in a case in which the Sumner County Board of Education argues that government entities do not have to accept a public records request sent by email. The case stems from a public records request made by citizen Kenneth Jakes in March 2014 to inspect the Sumner County Board of Education's public records policy. The school district denied the request, saying the method in which Jakes made the request -- by email and a followup phone call -- did not meet their requirements. Jakes was told he had to mail the request through the U.S. [...]

19 Jan, 2016

TCOG adds 5 new members to its Board of Directors

By Deborah Fisher|2016-01-19T10:46:47-06:00January 19, 2016|Categories: Tennessee Coalition for Open Government|Tags: Braden Boucek, Hedy Weinberg, John Williams, Larry Alvin Wood, TCOG board, TCOG news, Victor Ashe|0 Comments

The Tennessee Coalition for Open Government, a nonprofit organization that promotes government transparency, has named five new members to its Board of Directors. They are: Victor Ashe, former Knoxville mayor, state representative, state senator and U.S. Ambassador to Poland Braden Boucek, litigation director and representative for The Beacon Center of Tennessee Hedy Weinberg, executive director of ACLU-TN John Williams, attorney with Tune, Entrekin & White, P.C. Larry Wood, general manager of WNWS-FM, NewsTalk 101.5 FM in Jackson TCOG is a non-partisan organization founded in 2003 whose mission rests on the belief that citizen access to government information, through public records and public meetings, is crucial in allowing informed [...]

24 Jul, 2015

TBA urges change in proposed rules for media coverage in courtrooms

By Deborah Fisher|2015-08-18T07:16:32-05:00July 24, 2015|Categories: Open Courts|Tags: court coverage, courtroom access, John Williams, Lucian Pera, Rule 30, Tennessee Supreme Court|1 Comment

The Tennessee Bar Association applauded the Tennessee Supreme Court's initiative to update its rules on media coverage in courtrooms in comments filed Thursday, but suggested changes to the court's proposal regarding usage of electronic devices like laptops and smartphones. At issue are the court's proposed changes to Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 30, enacted in 1996, that govern the use of cameras in the courtroom by media. In general, the rule outlines guidelines designed to avoid disruption or distraction during courtroom proceedings while upholding the openness of Tennessee courts and providing media a process to request use of camera equipment in advance. In March, the Tennessee Supreme Court published proposed changes in [...]