Legal Hotline

Q: Many local agencies routinely take a 30-calendar-day extension, usually for legal review, to respond to Right-to-Know Law requests, even for simple, obviously public records like meeting minutes. Should they […]

Q: What are some of the issues we need to consider when reviewing political advertising? A: Financing, required disclosures, timing, rates and defamation issues arise in the context of political […]

Q: My reporting focuses on data, and I routinely request complex data sets like GIS records from public agencies. Several agencies have given me fee estimates based on market rates, […]

Q: I requested copies of a school district’s recording of a public meeting held earlier this week. The district denied my request claiming the recording is exempt as “personal notes […]

Q: The Sunshine Act requires agencies to provide agendas in advance of public meetings, but some local agencies are providing agendas that list generic or all-encompassing subjects that have little […]

Q: A local agency requires citizens to notify the agency 48 hours in advance and get permission if they plan to record public meetings. The policy also threatens criminal sanctions […]

Q: We want to review a criminal complaint filed with the county Court of Common Pleas as part of a murder prosecution. Is this record public under the Right-to-Know Law, […]

Q: What are the rules when using the terms “March Madness,” “Sweet Sixteen,” “Final Four,” and other NCAA trademarks in advertising?  A: Advertisers cannot use National Collegiate Athletic Association trademarked […]

Q: I requested access to the names, job titles, salaries, length of service and employment contracts for members of our local police department. The agency denied access to officers’ names […]