Did you know you can attend most government meetings? Request public documents? We provide free resources to help Californians exercise their First Amendment rights. Knowledge is power. firstamendmentcoalition.org/resources/

Wishing you a wonderful holiday with family and friends. ~FAC Team

FAC fights for your right to speak, report, question, and know. As the year ends, stand with us. 💬 Donate to strengthen free speech protections in 2026. firstamendmentcoalition.org?form=FACDece...

Citing attorney-client privilege, SF Mayor Daniel Lurie refused to release records about his call with Trump that halted the plan to "surge" immigration agents to SF. The City's Sunshine Ordinance Task Force says this violated the public records act. missionlocal.org/2025/12/sf-d...

When you become a Democracy Watchdog Member, your monthly donation helps us shine a light on those who would silence dissent and keep the public in the dark. Become a monthly donor today — stand with us in the fight for an open and just society! firstamendmentcoalition.org?form=FACDece...

“The First Amendment protects, above all else, the right to criticize and even make fun of the government,” @davidloy.bsky.social tells BenitoLink about the settlement reached with the San Benito County Board of Supervisors. benitolink.com/county-reach...

Are you outraged by the violent assaults on freedom of expression, suppression of information, and the onslaught of attempts to undermine government transparency in rural, suburban, and urban communities across our great state? Help us fight back and give today. bit.ly/FACDec2025

This is "a matter of transparency and accountability and confirmation of what the sheriff's statements were claiming" says WiIlie Lubka of @buenvecino.bsky.social, who is suing Ventura County for records of a controversial federal immigration raid. spectrumnews1.com/ca/southern-...

More than a year after investigative reporter Candice Nguyen requested public records from the CA Office of Emergency Services, she's still waiting for records behind the long delayed, $500 million NextGen digital 911 system. www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/r...

Our client Christopher Damien met refusals and stonewalling from Riverside County when seeking public records about deaths in its jails. S.E. Williams of Black Voice News and The IE Voice recounts a similar experience. blackvoicenews.com/2025/12/11/l...

Nominations for FAC's Free Speech & Open Government Awards are open! We know there’s some excellent work that's advanced open government and free speech out there his year. Tell us about it! Deadline for submissions is Jan 30. Submit a nomination today! firstamendmentcoalition.org/2025-fac-awa...

Our democracy depends on people willing to speak up. Stand with FAC to keep our First Amendment protections alive. Donate today: 🔗https://firstamendmentcoalition.org/?form=FACDecember2025

Daniel Maher wanted records and bodyworn camera video of his own arrest--in which officers broke two of his ribs--from Redding Police, but they refused until FAC intervened and got the records released. @shastascout.bsky.social reports on what the video shows ⬇️ shastascout.org/redding-poli...

What is Riverside County hiding? Investigative journalist Christopher Damien spoke to Fred Roggin on #therogginereport about his lawsuit against Riverside County for records about in-custody deaths at its jails: www.nbcpalmsprings.com/therogginrep...

At the First Amendment Coalition, we’re that advocate, fighting for the access journalists need to hold power accountable. Support transparency. Support press freedom. Donate today: 🔗https://firstamendmentcoalition.org/?form=FACDecember2025

"When people die in the government's custody, their relatives and the public have the right to review the government's investigation of that death," says Christopher Damien to the Desert Sun. More about our lawsuit against Riverside County ⬇️ www.desertsun.com/story/news/c...

VICTORY! We settled our lawsuit against San Benito County for its attempt to unmask Benito Beet Beat, a satirist on Facebook. The county withdrew the subpoena and is prohibited from reissuing it or taking any other action seeking to identify the authors based on the cartoon.

FAC represents journalist Christopher Damien and the New York Times in a public records act lawsuit against Riverside County for withholding records and information about deaths that occurred in jail custody. firstamendmentcoalition.org/news/post/fa...

Join us in protecting the public’s right to know. Your support keeps government open and accountable. Donate today: 🔗https://firstamendmentcoalition.org/?form=FACDecember2025

The Modesto City Council revised its masks-at-protests ordinance, and it's worse. "Modesto’s journalists should not be forced to choose between protecting themselves from harm and risking arrest" says FAC's @ginnylaroe.bsky.social www.modbee.com/news/politic...

Requiring police-issued press credentials for @oaklandpoliceca press conferences is a threat to press freedom, not only for student journalists, but for any newsroom covering Oakland police activity. www.eastbaytimes.com/2025/11/28/o...

The First Amendment Coalition shines light on government secrecy—because transparency keeps democracy strong. 💡 Donate today to protect your right to know: firstamendmentcoalition.org?form=FACDece...

A First Amendment win! The court has ordered a temporary pause to the administrative subpoena to Meta seeking the identities of the Benito Beet Beat Facebook page authors. A new hearing is scheduled for 12/10 at 10AM. More about this case: firstamendmentcoalition.org/case/doe-v-c...

BREAKING: FAC has filed a federal lawsuit seeking to prevent San Benito County from violating the First Amendment rights of two anonymous journalists who run Benito Beet Beat, a satirical news outlet on Facebook. firstamendmentcoalition.org/case/doe-v-c...

Daniel Maher asked Redding police for the bodyworn camera footage of his arrest, in which police used enough force to break his ribs. The city denied his request. FAC intervened. It shouldn't take intervention from a lawyer to get public records. firstamendmentcoalition.org/news/post/re...

A big win! Today an appeals court ruled that plaintiffs cannot automatically hide their identities when they bring a defamation suit. "[T]he right to access court proceedings necessarily includes the right to know the identity of the parties." reason.com/volokh/2025/...

FAC teamed up with Coachella Valley Journalism Foundation for a workshop for reporters on how to use transparency laws in their stories, including ✅ covering protests ✅ press rights ✅ our new Reporter's Field Guides Read more & bring a FAC workshop to you! firstamendmentcoalition.org/news/post/su...

A must-read: journalist Robert Lopez reviewed thousands of state and county records--and even had to threaten legal action for some records--for this investigation into California's child farmworkers. capitalandmain.com/californias-...

Abhorrent.

Details of the conversation between SF Mayor Daniel Lurie and Trump are still a secret, despite @sfpublicpress.bsky.social public records request. Moments like these demand transparency, says FAC's David Snyder. www.sfpublicpress.org/critics-say-...

Oakland Police must end its restrictive press policy, writes FAC, @spj-norcal.bsky.social and @pmwglocal39521.bsky.social firstamendmentcoalition.org/2025/11/14/p...

A nice look from @knightfoundation.org at how legal support helps journalists do their best work, with shoutouts for @rcfp.org, @splc.org, @facoalition.bsky.social, and more.

LAPD is withholding policing data because it might lead to "public panic." FAC's @davidloy.bsky.social tells @laist.com: “The problem with that argument is it would violate — it would destroy — the entire public records act.” laist.com/news/lapd-re...

#BirdFlu cases are increasing again, and yet the CA Dept of Food & Agriculture is putting public health at risk by refusing to release critical data about which CA dairies are under #birdflu quarantine. www.npr.org/2025/11/05/n...

Earlier this week, with California Rural Legal Assistance, we sued the CA Dept of Food & Agriculture for refusing to release information about which CA dairies are under #birdflu quarantine. Withholding this information puts public health at risk. www.latimes.com/science/stor...

FAC is representing @vallejosun.bsky.social in a public records lawsuit against the City of Vallejo. The city refuses to hand over video about police officers shooting of man in mental distress; the video they did release improperly blurs officers' faces. firstamendmentcoalition.org/news/post/fa...

Right now, every dollar you give will go twice as far thanks to a generous $20,000 matching gift from FAC Board Leadership. From now until Nov. 14, your donation will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $20,000 – 1/2

We're disappointed the Berkeley City Council voted to fully encrypt all police radio traffic. This will take away a critical newsgathering tool and reduce public oversight of policing. firstamendmentcoalition.org/2025/10/28/f...

🎉 A First Amendment and press freedom win! The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has denied Alameda County's request to re-hear the case against the sideshow spectator ban. Now back to the trial court! firstamendmentcoalition.org/news/post/pr...

Journalists, Election Day is days away; are you ready to cover it? Check out our new Reporter's Field Guide: Election Day Access to get up to speed: firstamendmentcoalition.org/handbook/rep...

We were inspired by the enthusiasm & curiosity of hundreds of student journalists who gathered for the regional Journalism Association of Community Colleges conferences this month, where we led sessions on protest coverage and public records. firstamendmentcoalition.org/news/post/po...

FAC, @spj-norcal.bsky.social & @pmwglocal39521.bsky.social are urging the Berkeley city council to reject a proposal to silence all police radio traffic. The public loses when journalists and community members can't listen to police radio comms www.berkeleyscanner.com/2025/10/21/c...

TODAY at 1pm PT: FAC will be hosting a virtual gathering with journalists to walk them through our latest Reporter’s Field Guide on Election Day Access. Register below and check out the guide and other educational resources on our website. firstamendmentcoalition.org/news/post/yo...

If you’re a reporter with questions about what you and others are allowed to do in and around polling places on Election Day, we’ve got answers. Join us for a Q&A on 10/28 1 PM PT about our new election day access guide firstamendmentcoalition.org/news/post/yo...

Congrats to FAC Legal Director David Loy, who was named a Visionary Honoree by California Safe Schools and was the keynote speaker at its awards last week! 🎉 www.send2press.com/wire/califor...

Berkeley should keep its promise to protect public access and reject a proposal to silence all police radio traffic. The public loses when journalists and community members can't listen to police radio communications. www.berkeleyscanner.com/2025/10/21/c...

FAC’s latest: A reporter’s guide to accessing election polling places and vote counting centers. firstamendmentcoalition.org/news/post/yo...

In lieu of getting a person's rap sheet, are law enforcement agencies required to disclose certain information on arrests under the California Public Records Act? Part 3 of 3

If you can't get a person's full rap sheet, but you are looking for information on a specific case, what documents can you request? Part 2 of 3

Our legal director, David Loy, discusses accessing rap sheets under California Law. A rap sheet is a complete list of a person's entire arrest and conviction history. Can you just walk in and request someone's rap sheet from the police department? Part 1 of 3