[WEBINAR] Exploring the CPRA’s Investigatory Privilege
[WEBINAR] Social Media Meets the First Amendment
[WEBINAR] The Public Records Act - Taming the Email Tiger
A legal fight with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) over the release of documents—including the names of institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC) members—has already cost the University of...more
Everyone has heard the old saying “knowledge is power.” In Florida, the Public Records Act, Ch. 119, Fla. Stat., is a powerful tool that contractors should use to empower themselves in competitive bid situations. Governments...more
On February 19, 2020, the New Jersey Appellate Division issued a decision Digital First Media v. Ewing Township permitting a newspaper access under New Jersey’s Open Public Records Act (OPRA) to Use of Force Reports (UFR)...more
In the first decision by a higher court on a controversial new law that makes some police personnel records available under the Public Records Act, a California appellate court ruled that Senate Bill 1421 applies to records...more
A recent California appellate court decision underscores the sanctity of the attorney-client privilege — holding that even an in camera review of claimed privileged communications is not permitted. This applies even though a...more
A city’s ability to access electronically stored data does not equal possession of that data under the Public Records Act, a California appellate court recently ruled....more
The State Bar of California does not have to create records to fulfill a request for bar applicant data under the Public Records Act, an appellate court decided. ...more
In Pasadena Police Officers Association v. City of Pasadena, the Second District Court of Appeal made an interesting observation about the effect of the Public Records Act’s time requirement for a response to a PRA request...more
A California Court of Appeal upheld a decision to drastically reduce an attorney fee award request against the City of Pasadena to a newspaper in a Public Records Act litigation — a decision that should bring relief to public...more
In a lengthy, published opinion, the New Jersey Appellate Division recently ruled on four appeals from different trial courts (that had reached conflicting results) about the ability of a nonprofit advocacy organization for...more
Attorney invoices may be protected in their entirety by the attorney-client privilege during ongoing litigation. After litigation has concluded, however, those same invoices may be discoverable. So concludes the California...more
An appellate court ordered a trial court judge to reconsider his order that e-mails to and from the San Diego city attorney’s personal account be released publicly. The League of California Cities argued that e-mails between...more
*As published in PublicCEO A Bay Area school district that inadvertently released attorney-client privilege documents following the resignation of its superintendent did not waive its disclosure exemption right granted...more
In Law Offices of Marc Grossman v. Victor Elementary School District, 2015 DJDAR 8356, the California Court of Appeal for the Fourth Appellate District ruled that the Trope Doctrine did not apply in litigation under the...more
California Appellate Court Rules in Case Likely to be Decided by State Supreme Court - A public agency that inadvertently released attorney-client privileged documents to the public did not waive its right for those...more
The Fifth District Court of Appeal heard oral argument today on the issue of whether the records of the Economic Development Commission of Brevard County are subject to public inspection. The lower court ruled that such...more
In a surprising opinion issued on January 30, 2015, which promises to have a wide-reaching effect, the Fifth District Court of Appeal overturned a declaratory judgment entered in favor of WKMG-TV Local 6, and determined that...more
When the decision in City of San Jose v. Superior Court was announced, many public agency employees and officials were relieved to read that the Court of Appeal agreed with the city: communications on public officials’...more