The Court of Appeals ruled for Pierce County in the deleted email case brought by BIAW.
NOTE: Allied Law Group's Greg Overstreet represented the requestor in this case.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Suit Filed to Get Signers on All Eyman Initiatives, Not Just R-71
The (Everett) Herald reports that a request has been made for the signatures on all Eyman initiatives, not just R-71.
Eyman is opposing disclosure. A court hearing is scheduled for this week.
Eyman is opposing disclosure. A court hearing is scheduled for this week.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Sunshine Committee Recommends Sunset Review of New Disclosure Exemptions
The Sunshine Committee is for sunsetting.
Jefferson County Must Pay $41,515 in Public Records Case
The Port Townsend Leader has this story about Jefferson County's "pizza privacy" defense in a Public Records Act case and how it cost them $41,515.
NOTE: Allied Law Group's Greg Overstreet and David Norman represented the records requestor in this case.
NOTE: Allied Law Group's Greg Overstreet and David Norman represented the records requestor in this case.
Walla Walla Union-Bulletin Editorial on Technology and Open Meetings
This editorial from the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin discusses email and Facebook and how they can make quick decisionmaking for local elected officials a little too easy.
The U-B is exactly right. Efficiency is not the goal here.
The Open Public Meetings Act is designed to make decision making open to the public, even if this is less efficient than deciding business in a few clicks of the mouse. This is counterintuitive in our go-go fast-fast world. But it's the law. And there's a good reason for it.
The U-B is exactly right. Efficiency is not the goal here.
The Open Public Meetings Act is designed to make decision making open to the public, even if this is less efficient than deciding business in a few clicks of the mouse. This is counterintuitive in our go-go fast-fast world. But it's the law. And there's a good reason for it.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Judge Blocks Release of Record ... But No One Cited a Legal Exemption from Disclosure
The Bellingham Herald reports on the outcome of their case to obtain a City of Bellingham report on the performance of Matia Contractors on a public works project.
The Public Records Act requires a party resisting disclosure to cite a statute allowing the record to be withheld, and also requires the party to persuade a court that the exemption from disclosure applies. No one, not Matia nor the City, has cited an exemption from disclosure, let alone described how it applies. In fact, Matia agreed that an exemption must be cited and that it had not done so. The judge still ruled for Matia.
NOTE: Allied Law Group's Greg Overstreet represented The Bellingham Herald in the case.
The Public Records Act requires a party resisting disclosure to cite a statute allowing the record to be withheld, and also requires the party to persuade a court that the exemption from disclosure applies. No one, not Matia nor the City, has cited an exemption from disclosure, let alone described how it applies. In fact, Matia agreed that an exemption must be cited and that it had not done so. The judge still ruled for Matia.
NOTE: Allied Law Group's Greg Overstreet represented The Bellingham Herald in the case.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
