First Amendment

Awards, First Amendment, Journalism, Open Meetings Laws, Public Records Laws September 11, 2019

CFOIC honors First Amendment attorney Tom Kelley and three other open-government champions

Actual malice. Autopsy reports. The Columbine killers’ “basement tapes.” Stapleton Development Corp. records. The governor’s cellphone bills. The meetings and records of a county retirement board. Tom Kelley waged court battles over these issues and many more as an attorney for The Denver Post, other news organizations and the Colorado Press Association, steadfastly and expertly defending the public’s right to know and the journalist’s right to report.

Court Proceedings, Court Records, First Amendment July 15, 2019

Federal judge: No reason to close records and proceedings in civil case against Colorado Springs YMCA

A federal judge has denied a motion by the Colorado Springs YMCA to close court proceedings and records in a lawsuit brought by a former employee who alleges she was sexually assaulted by a higher-ranking employee.

Court Proceedings, Court Records, First Amendment June 28, 2019

Colorado Public Radio and CFOIC object to proposed closure of civil case against Colorado Springs YMCA

The Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition joined Colorado Public Radio and a UCLA law professor in objecting to the proposed closure of court proceedings and records in a federal lawsuit brought against the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region.

First Amendment June 27, 2019

Colorado Court of Appeals rules for environmental activist in oil company’s defamation suit

A Paonia environmental activist who helped persuade state lawmakers to pass an anti-SLAPP law during this year’s legislative session won a Colorado Court of Appeals victory Thursday against the oil and gas company that sued him for libel.

Colorado Legislature, Colorado Legislature 2019, First Amendment, Journalism June 3, 2019

Polis signs anti-SLAPP, media literacy bills into law

Gov. Jared Polis signed into law a bill to protect Coloradans from meritless lawsuits that target free expression, and he signed another measure that starts a process for incorporating media literacy into state education standards.

First Amendment, Journalism May 6, 2019

Brief asks 10th Circuit to affirm the public’s First Amendment right to record police

The Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition joined other organizations in urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit to affirm the public’s First Amendment right to record police.

Colorado Legislature, Colorado Legislature 2019, First Amendment, Journalism, Open Meetings Laws, Public Records Laws May 4, 2019

Wrap-up: Internal affairs, anti-SLAPP bills highlight a productive 2019 Colorado legislative session

There was no need to wait for final adjournment to see that the 2019 Colorado legislative session was a productive one for freedom of information and First Amendment-related issues. Gov. Jared Polis cinched that on April 12, when he signed into law a groundbreaking transparency bill that ensures the public disclosure of records on police internal affairs investigations.

Colorado Legislature, Colorado Legislature 2019, Court Proceedings, First Amendment April 24, 2019

Anti-SLAPP bill advances in the Colorado legislature

A bill that would protect Coloradans from meritless lawsuits intended to silence criticism won approval in a committee of the state legislature.

First Amendment, Open Meetings Laws January 23, 2019

Park County commissioners barred 9NEWS cameras from a public meeting. Was that legal?

Regardless of the intent, were the actions of the Park County commissioners legal? Is there a difference between what journalists can do versus ordinary citizens? With portable video and audio recorders in the pockets of most people, how will situations like this be mediated in the future? The short answer: It’s complicated but becoming clearer.

Colorado Legislature, Colorado Legislature 2018, Court Records, First Amendment, Journalism, Open Meetings Laws, Public Records Laws December 26, 2018

Court secrecy, a handcuffed journalist, ‘Access Denied’: CFOIC’s year-in-review 2018

Two words come to mind when looking back at 2018’s government transparency highlights and lowlights in Colorado. Judicial secrecy.

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