Rick Hollow Archives - Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

15 Jun, 2018

Column: Opioid trial must be completely open

By Deborah Fisher|2018-06-15T10:58:41-05:00June 15, 2018|Categories: Open Courts, public records lawsuits Tennessee, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government|Tags: Deborah Fisher, Herbert Slatery, Jack McElroy, OxyContin, Purdue Pharma, Rick Hollow, TCOG news|0 Comments

An OxyContin tablet. Purdue Pharma, who makes OxyContin, has asked for a protective order in a Knoxville circuit court to keep concealed some details of allegations by the state of Tennessee that it violated a 2007 court order and the state's consumer protection laws. In 2007, the state of Tennessee and 25 other states reached a $19.5 million settlement agreement with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, who they alleged was violating consumer laws in the marketing of their cash cow opioid drug. Among other allegations, the states said Purdue engaged in illegal marketing and downplayed the risks of addiction. Tennessee’s portion of the settlement was about $720,000. Kentucky [...]

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Guidelines Regarding Appellate Judicial Records,” which defines certain court records not open for inspection, such as unpublished drafts of judicial orders and [...]

14 Nov, 2016

Comptroller appoints new members to Advisory Committee on Open Government

By Deborah Fisher|2016-11-14T15:25:19-06:00November 14, 2016|Categories: Office of Open Records Counsel, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government|Tags: Adam Yeomans, Advisory Committee on Open Government, Debbie Shedden, Dennis Weber, Kathryn Strong, Maya Siggers, Office of Open Records Counsel, Rick Hollow|0 Comments

Six new members have been named to the 14-member Advisory Committee on Open Government (ACOG), representing six organizations. They are: TCOG representative: Adam Yeomans, Associated Press Regional Director for the South, replaces Memphis attorney Lucian Pera as TCOG's representative. Yeomans is vice president of TCOG's Board of Directors. Pera, TCOG's president, has served for the past two years. Tennessee Press Association representative: Jack McElroy, editor of the Knoxville News Sentinel, replaces Knoxville attorney Richard Hollow. McElroy is the most recent past president of TPA. Tennessee Municipal League representative: Maya Siggers, assistant city attorney for the city of Memphis, replaces Chad Jenkins. Jenkins had been the Tennessee Municipal League [...]

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. [...]

7 Sep, 2016

Advisory Committee on Open Government aims for body camera study, public hearings

By Deborah Fisher|2016-10-10T14:27:47-05:00September 7, 2016|Categories: crime records, Legislature, Office of Open Records Counsel|Tags: Advisory Committee on Open Government, Bob Ramsey, David Rausch, legislature, police body cameras, Rick Hollow|0 Comments

The Advisory Committee on Open Government (ACOG) took the first steps toward a police body camera study last week, discussing ideas for public hearings around the state and how it would develop broad input and conversation. State Rep. Bob Ramsey, R-Maryville, and Chair of House State Government Committee The 14-member group, which is appointed by the Comptroller's Office, represents a wide range of media, government and citizen organizations and is authorized by law to provide written comment on proposed legislation regarding open records and meetings. The House State Government Committee, chaired by state Rep. Bob Ramsey, R-Maryville, asked the open government committee to study the body cam issue after [...]

12 Next