Abridged Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1: ACCESS TO MEETINGS
PART I: Overview
A.           Introduction.
B.           Overview of the Law.
PART II: LOCAL GOVERNMENT—THE RALP M. BROWN ACT
A.            Introduction
B.            What are my rights under the Brown Act?
C.            How do I know if a meeting is governed by the Brown Act?
D.            What notice is required, and how is the notice given?
E.             When can a closed session be held?
F.             What information has to be disclosed about closed sessions?
G.            How is the Brown Act enforced?
PART III: STATE GOVERNMENT—THE BAGLEY-KEENE ACT
A.            Introduction to the Bagley-Keene.
B.            What are my rights under the Bagley-Keene Act?
C.            What meetings are subject to the Bagley-Keene Act?
D.            When can a closed session be held?
E.             How is the Bagley-Keene Act enforced?
PART IV: OTHER STATE OPEN MEETING LAWS
A.            The state legislature.
B.            The board of regents of the University of California.
C.            Student auxiliary organizations.
PART V: FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MEETINGS
A.            The “government in the Sunshine Act.”
B.            Federal Advisory Committee Act.
PART VI:  PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS

CHAPTER 2:  ACCESS TO PUBLIC RECORDS
PART I: Overview
A.           Introduction.
B.           Overview of the Law.
PART II:  THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RECORDS ACT
A.           How does the California Public Records Act work?
B.           What agencies are governed by the act?
C.           What are the public records?
D.           How do I get access the records?
E.            What records are exempt from disclosure?
F.            What can I do if the agency doesn’t provide public records I have requested?G.            Summary of rights.
PART III:  PROPOSITION 59
PART IV:  LEGISLATIVE OPEN RECORDS ACT
A.         What records of the legislature are covered?
B.         How do I get access to legislative records?
C.         What legislative records are exempt from disclosure?
D.         What can I do if the legislature does not provide records that are subject to disclosure?
E.         Does the legislature make information available on the internet?
PART V:  THE FEDERAL FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
A.           Introduction.
B.           How does the Freedom of Information Act work?
C.          What information is exempt from disclosure under the FOIA?
D.          What exemptions does the government most often assert?

CHAPTER 3: PROPOSITION 59: A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT OF ACCESS
PART I: INTRODUCTION
PART II: MAIN PROVISIONS OF THE SUNSHINE AMENDMENT
A.            A constitutional right of access.
B.            Rules for the interpretation and application of statutes, rules and “other authority” regulating public access.
C.            Other effects of the Sunshine Amendment.
PART III: IMPACT OF THE SUNSHINE AMENDMENT
PART IV: CONCLUSION

CHAPTER 4: GOVERNMENT TREATMENT OF THE MEDIA: DISCRIMINATION AND ACCREDITATION
PART I: INTRODUCTION
PART II: DISCRIMINATION AMONG NEWS OUTLETS OR REPORTERS
A.            Right of equal access.
B.            Right of equal convenience.
C.            Right of public employees to speak.
PART III: MEDIA ACCREDITATION
A.            Press passes issued by government entities.
B.            Press passes issued by private entities.

CHAPTER 5: PUBLIC ACCESS TO CRIMINAL COURT PROCEEDINGS
PART I: INTRODUCTION
A.            Background on constitutional rights of access.
B.            Importance of public participation.
PART II: DEFINING THE CONSTITUTIONAL STANDARD
A.            Legal test for closure of court proceedings.
B.            Procedures courts must follow before closing proceedings.
PART III: CLOSURE RATIONALES:  THE FIRST AND THE SIXTH AMENDMENTS
PART IV: PUBLIC ACCESS TO BENCH PROCEEDINGS
PART V: JUVENILE COURT PROCEEDINGS/LIMITED RIGHT OF ACCESS
A.            Public’s right of access to juvenile delinquency proceedings.
B.            Access at request of the minor, parent, or guardian.
C.            Discretionary public access.
D.            Limitations of the right of access to juvenile cases.
E.             Alternative arguments for media access.
F.             Post-hearing information.
G.            Obtaining information about juveniles convicted of serious crimes.
H.            Right to publicize a juvenile’s names.
I.              Public access to juvenile dependency proceedings.
PART VI: ACCESS TO MILITARY PROCEEDINGS
PART VII: HOW TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHT TO ACCESS COURT PROCEEDINGS
A.            Anticipate closure motions.
B.            Request a hearing.
C.            Seek support from the non-moving party.

CHAPTER 6: GAG ORDERS AND PRIOR RESTRAINTS
PART I: GAG ORDERS—LIMITING DISCUSSION AND COVERAGE OF COURT CASES
A.            Gaga orders in criminal cases.
B.            Constitutional requirements.
C.            Responding to a proposed gag order.
D.            Some information generally releasable.
E.             To whom the orders apply.
F.             Rules affecting attorneys.
G.            Gaga orders in civil cases.
PART II: PRIOR RESTRAINTS
A.            Introduction.
B.            General rule of law.
C.            The criminal defendant’s right to a fair trail.
D.            The right to privacy and reputation.
E.             Trade secrets.
F.             National security.
G.            Statutes limiting the right to disclose information.
H.            Responding to a restraining order.

CHAPTER 7: PUBLIC ACCESS TO CIVIL COURT PROCEEDINGS
PART I: INTRODUCTION
PART II: RIGHT OF ACCESS
A.            The First Amendment standard.
B.            The California standard.
PART III: ACCESS TO PARTICULAR KINDS OF PROCEEDINGS
A.            Domestic or family proceedings.
B.            Mental health hearings.
C.            Trade secrets.
D.            Privacy.
E.             Settlement proceedings.
F.             Depositions.
G.            Bench and chamber conferences.
H.            Opposing closure of civil court proceedings.
PART IV: ACCESS TO PRIVATE PROCEEDINGS
PART V: CAMERA ACCESS TO COURT PROCEEDINGS

CHAPTER 8: MEDIA ACCESS TO JURORS AND JURY INFORMATION
PART I: ACCESS TO JURY SELECTION
A.            Cases where closure was held unconstitutional.
B.            Cases where closure was held constitutional.
PART II: ACCESS TO JUROR QUESTIONNAIRES
PART III: ACCESS TO TRANSCRIPTS OF JURY SELECTION
PART IV: ACCESS TO JUROR NAMES AND ANONYMOUS JURIES
A.            California law.
B.            Federal law.
C.            Interpretive cases.
PART V: ACCESS TO JURORS DURING TRIAL
PART VI: PHOTOGRAPHING AND SKETCHING JURORS DURING TRIAL
PART VII: ACCESS TO JURORS AFTER TRIAL
A.            California law.
B.            Interpretive cases.
PART VIII: ACCESS TO GRAND JURIES
A.            Access to grand jurors.
B.            Access to grand jury witnesses.
C.            State’s limited right to public session of grand jury.

CHAPTER 9: THE CALIFORNIA SHIELD LAW AND THE REPORTER’S PRIVILEGE
PART I: INTRODUCTION—LEGAL PROTECTION FOR JOURNALISTS AND OTHERS WHO GATHER AND PUBLISH INFORMATION
PART II: THE CALIFORNIA SHIELD LAW
A.            Persons protected by the shield law.
B.            The extent of the shield law’s protections.
C.            Procedural aspects of subpoenas.
PART III: PROTECTION UNDER FEDERAL LAW: THE REPORTER’S PRIVILEGE
A.            The limited First Amendment privilege.
B.            Who can invoke the reporter’s privilege?
C.            Enforcing gag orders in federal court.
D.            Federal regulations of subpoenas to journalists.
E.             Federal legislation to create a reporter’s shield law.
PART IV: PROTECTION FROM SEARCH WARRANTS
A.            Limited constitutional protection.
B.            Protections from search warrants under California law.
C.            Protections under federal statute.

CHAPTER 10: ACCESS TO JUDICIAL RECORDS
PART I: GENERAL RULES OF ACCESS
A.            Basic of right of access.
B.            Procedure for access to court records.
PART II: RECORDS OF CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS
A.            Records subject to First Amendment right of access.
B.            Access to evidence in criminal cases.
C.            Access to grand jury transcripts and materials.
D.            Access to juror records.
PART III: CIVIL CASE RECORDS
A.            Discovery material in civil cases.
B.            Settlement records.
PART IV: STATUTORY CONFIDENTIALITY
A.            Juvenile court documents.
B.            Search and arrest warrant documents.
C.            Probation officers’ reports.
D.            Pre-sentencing diagnostic reports.
E.             Adoption records.
F.             Victim statements.
G.            Indigent defense funding.
H.            Wiretap records.
I.              Criminal history information.
J.             Copies of court and deposition transcripts.
K.            Electronic court records.
PART V: RECORDS OF COURT ADMINISTRATION

CHAPTER 11: ACCESS TO PUBLIC AND PRIVATE AREAS AND TO GOVERNMENT OFFICIALSPART I: INTRODUCTION 
PART II: ACCESS TO DISASTER SITES, CRIME SCENES AND MILITARY AREAS
A.            Disaster scenes.
B.            Crime and tactical operations scenes.
C.            Military areas.
PART III: PUBLIC SCHOOL GROUNDS
A.            There is no general right of access to public schools under the First Amendment.
B.            California law governing access to public schools.
PART IV: STATE PRISONS, JAILS AND PAROLE BOARD HEARINGS
A.            General rules of access.
B.            Access to executions.
PART V: PRIVATE PROPERTY
A.            Types of trespass.
B.            Business establishments.
C.            Private residences.
D.            Landlords and rented premises.
PART VI: ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

CHAPTER 12: LEGAL PERILS IN NEWSGATHERING
PART I: INTRODUCTION
PART II: CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTS
PART III: LEGAL LIMITS ON NEWSGATHERING
A.            Impersonation.
B.            Trespass.
C.            Invasion of privacy by intrusion.
PART IV: SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR ELECTRONIC NEWSGATHERING
A.            Obtaining, making and using audio and video recording.
B.            Using police and emergency scanners.
C.            Accessing computers and electronic data.

CHAPTER 13: THE STUDENT PRESS AND STUDENT SPEECH
PART I: CONSTITUTIONAL BACKGROUND
A.            Non-curricular student speech.
B.            School-sponsored or curricular speech.
C.            Vulgar, lewd and obscene speech.
PART II: CALIFORNIA LAWS REGARDING STUDENT PRESS AND SPEECH
A.            Student press and speech and public high school campuses.
B.            Student press and speech at public colleges and universities.
PART III: UNDERGROUND STUDENT NEWSPAPERS AND OTHER MATERIALS
PART IV: REGULATION OF STUDENT SPEECH BY PRIVATE SCHOOLS
PART V: THEFT OF STUDENT NEWSPAPERS

APPENDIX A: The Brown Act

APPENDIX B: The California Public Records Act