From Reuters:
Delaware's push to expand the state's legal industry was dealt a blow on Thursday when a federal judge ruled its high-profile Court of Chancery judges could not preside over arbitration proceedings that are closed to the public.
The court's five judges were sued by the Delaware Coalition for Open Government, a group that promotes government transparency, for holding what the group said amounted to "secret" hearings to settle large business disputes.The federal judge hearing the case, Mary McLaughlin of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, ruled that the arbitration cases amounted to nonjury trials and must be open to the public.[…]The ruling on Thursday seemed to surprise John Flaherty, the leader of the group that filed the lawsuit. "Oh my gosh, that's a great victory for the rule of law," he told Reuters.
Delaware Coalition for Open Government is a member of NFOIC.–eds.