Virginia: FOIA group agrees to look at ‘working papers’ exemption

RICHMOND – A Virginia law that allows government officials, from the governor to mayors to college presidents, to shield a wide swath of documents from public view deserves a closer look, a small state committee reviewing Virginia's Freedom of Information Act said Thursday.

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FOIA requests to Virginia police sometimes denied improperly

Suffolk, Va. – A review of thousands of police replies to citizens seeking public records shows most Hampton Roads departments follow the law, even if they only release the minimum required. However, NewsChannel 3 found dozens of instances where citizens were improperly denied records, where police cited the wrong codes and exemptions, or where authorities failed to cite the specific reasons they were withholding documents.

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Editorial: Let’s demand accountability from our courts

An ongoing disagreement between the Daily Press and the state Supreme Court effectively illustrates both the value and limitations of Virginia's Freedom of Information Act.

The state Freedom of Information Advisory Council, which mediates disputes over the law, recently sided with the newspaper that a compilation of case information maintained by the court should be available to the public.

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Virginia Court finds Loudoun schools not in violation of FOIA laws

Loudoun's Circuit Court declared Loudoun schools not in violation of Virginia's Freedom of Information Act on April 29.

Loudoun's School Board and school and IT staff were called to court last week when Lansdowne parent, Brian Davison, filed a Writ of Mandamus claiming Loudoun County Public Schools deliberately withheld information from the public and failed to fulfill multiple of his FOIA requests within the five day period mandated by law.

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Court Rules Virginia Town Violated Open Government Laws

The Sussex County Circuit Court Judge told the Waverly Town Council that they couldn’t meet this week because the mayor and town clerk had knowingly violated the state’s Freedom of Information Act and failed to comply with a provision of the state’s Open Meetings Law.

Taylor Everett, a resident who had repeatedly asked the town to produce public documents and notify him of upcoming meetings, brought the legal challenge against the town.

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Information from Virginia criminal investigations largely exempt from FOIA

At the request of the governor and prosecutors, the Virginia State Police are investigating the arrest of University of Virginia student Martese Johnson by Alcoholic Beverage Control agents, but it’s unlikely the public will have access to much of the investigation.

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Information from Virginia criminal investigations largely exempt from FOIA

At the request of the governor and prosecutors, the Virginia State Police are investigating the arrest of University of Virginia student Martese Johnson by Alcoholic Beverage Control agents, but it’s unlikely the public will have access to much of the investigation.