Woodland Park school board has ‘chilled’ free speech and violated open meetings law, according to Colorado teachers union lawsuit
The lawsuit alleges the district and board have "chilled" teachers’ First Amendment rights to free speech and free association and violated state open meetings laws when it revised a district policy and effectively instituted a gag order against teachers ...
Court dismisses DPS appeal, ending executive session legal battle
The Colorado Court of Appeals dismissed Denver Public Schools’ appeal of a court ordering the district release a video recording of its March 23 executive session, effectively ending the media’s legal battle for the recording ...
Despite law, one in six Colorado judges don’t have financial disclosures filed, some for years
About one in every six judges across Colorado this year does not have their personal financial disclosure statements on file with the secretary of state despite a law that requires it every January, a Denver Gazette review has found ...
Denver Department of Public Safety unveils new transparency dashboards
The Denver Department of Public Safety debuted two new public dashboards showing such data: one for police, fire and emergency medical service responses; another for disciplinary investigations being carried out by the sheriff's department ...
Report recommends CO ban public officials’ use of encrypted, disappearing messaging apps for official business
A new report published by the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition (CFOIC) recommends the state ban public officials from using any encrypted or disappearing messaging apps when discussing official business. The findings come after state lawmakers sued the Colorado House of Representatives, alleging there were "pervasive violations" of the Colorado open meetings law during the 2023 legislative session ...
Lawsuit challenges changes to Colorado ballot titles
A state law seeking more transparency in ballot measures that raise or lower taxes has earned a legal challenge in Denver District Court ...
Woodland Park School District lifts ban against former employee, but ACLU will continue its lawsuit
A former Woodland Park School District employee who was banned from all district property and events after being kicked out of a June 14 school board meeting is now allowed to return to school grounds, the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado said ...
What really happens behind closed doors at the Colorado legislature?
Together, the lawsuits challenge one of the legislature’s open secrets: Lawmakers regularly skirt the state’s Open Meetings Law by holding unannounced meetings behind closed doors so they can quietly plan out legislative action and iron out differences among themselves. They also use disappearing electronic messages to keep some of their communications private ...
Appellate judge issues decision on Boulder defamation lawsuit
A judge on the Colorado Court of Appeals issued a decision on a high-profile defamation lawsuit that parties have said may have consequences for free speech ...
ACLU sues Woodland Park School Board on behalf of citizen banned from meetings, property
Woodland Park School District, its board of education and Superintendent Ken Witt face a federal lawsuit filed Aug. 3 by a district patron who alleges they violated his First Amendment right by banning him from the district for more than a year, after he made a sarcastic remark at a board meeting ...
