by Ashley Dale | Jun 16, 2017 | News
U.S. District Judge Marvin Shoob, who “made the Constitution a reality” in his rulings on Cuban refugees, the Ten Commandments, local jails and hundreds of other cases, has died at age 94. Read more from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Shoob—whose fierce...
by Ashley Dale | Jun 16, 2017 | News
Saying “open government is essential to a free, open and democratic society,” state Attorney General Chris Carr urged the Georgia Supreme Court to reverse a 2016 Georgia Court of Appeals decision that allowed closure of records from privately administered public...
by Ashley Dale | May 15, 2017 | News
The Georgia Supreme Court has asked Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr to weigh in on whether the public should continue to have access to records of public hospitals, like Atlanta-based Northside, that are restructured to be operated by nonprofits. The public’s...
by Ashley Dale | May 12, 2017 | News
Hollie Manheimer has been executive director of the Georgia First Amendment Foundation since January 1996. This month she’s stepping down from the post, although she’ll continue as a volunteer with the foundation. Join us as we celebrate her years of service on May 23...
by Ashley Dale | May 7, 2017 | Events, News
Twenty one years of fighting for the public’s right to know Foundation Executive Director Hollie Manheimer is stepping down from her post after 21 years of dedicated service to preserving and expanding Georgians’ rights to open government and free speech....
by Ashley Dale | Apr 3, 2017 | News
There were a few nail-biting moments for government transparency advocates during this year’s state General Assembly session. But, in the end, lawmakers treaded lightly on Georgians’ rights to access government records, meetings and proceedings and to practice free...
by Ashley Dale | Mar 20, 2017 | News
An amended e-filing bill continues to jeopardize public access to court records in Georgia. As it stands, House Bill 15 would give court clerks extraordinary power to delay the public’s access to electronically filed court records and impose burdensome fees for...
by Ashley Dale | Mar 16, 2017 | News
The Georgia First Amendment Foundation is calling on state Senate Judiciary Committee members meeting today to modify an electronic-filing bill to better protect public access to court records. In its current form, House Bill 15 could result in a fee for simply...
by Ashley Dale | Mar 15, 2017 | News
Accessing court records could take longer and cost more if an electronic-filing measure making its way through the Georgia General Assembly passes in its current form. House Bill 15 tops the “negative” bills detailed in our updated Legislative Watch. The bill requires...
by Ashley Dale | Mar 13, 2017 | News
We’ve updated our Legislative Watch after Crossover Day to reflect what’s happening with open government-related legislative proposals still making their way through the Georgia General Assembly. Check out the bills we’re concerned about and our suggested improvements...