FIRST AMENDMENT COALITION
534 FOURTH STREET NO B, SAN RAFAEL, CA 94901 www.cfac.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: THE FIRST AMENDMENT COALITION (FAC) IS AN AWARD-WINNING, NONPROFIT PUBLIC INTEREST ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO ADVANCING FREEDOM OF SPEECH, MORE OPEN AND ACCOUNTABLE GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN CIVIC AFFAIRS. THESE ATTRIBUTES, WE BELIEVE, ARE THE OXYGEN OF DEMOCRATIC SELF-GOVERNMENT. FOUNDED IN 1988, FAC ACTS LOCALLY, STATEWIDE AND NATIONALLY.

DEDICATED TO ADVANCING FREE SPEECH, GOVT. ACCOUNTABILITY & PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN CIVIC AFFAIRS

IN 2019 FAC ACHIEVED THESE IMPORTANT VICTORIES FOR OPEN GOVERNMENT AND THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO KNOW: STRATEGIC LITIGATION 2019 HIGHLIGHTS: FAC USES LITIGATION TO ESTABLISH NEW LEGAL RIGHTS AND TO ENFORCE EXISTING REQUIREMENTS ON RELUCTANT GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. --FAC, JOINED BY A COALITION OF MEDIA ORGANIZATIONS, SUCCESSFULLY OPPOSED MULTIPLE EFFORTS BY POLICE UNIONS ACROSS CALIFORNIA TO ESSENTIALLY NULLIFY SENATE BILL 1421, A LANDMARK POLICE TRANSPARENCY BILL THAT REQUIRES RECORDS ABOUT SERIOUS POLICE MISCONDUCT TO BE MADE PUBLIC. FAC'S EFFORTS LED TO THE DISCLOSURE OF NUMEROUS PREVIOUSLY SECRET RECORDS SHOWING POLICE MISCONDUCT, PROMPTING NEW JOURNALISM ABOUT THOSE INCIDENTS AND PROMOTING ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE OFFICERS AND AGENCIES INVOLVED.--AMONG THE SUCCESSFUL POLICE-RECORDS LAWSUITS FAC BROUGHT WAS ONE AGAINST THE CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR FAILURE TO RELEASE POLICE MISCONDUCT RECORDS. FAC PREVAILED IN THE TRIAL COURT, A DECISION AFFIRMED BY THE COURT OF APPEAL, LEADING TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL RELEASING NUMEROUS PREVIOUSLY SECRET RECORDS.--FAC RUSHED TO THE LEGAL DEFENSE OF A FREELANCE JOURNALIST WHOSE HOME AND OFFICE WERE UNLAWFULLY RAIDED BY THE SAN FRANCISCO POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHICH OBTAINED WARRANTS TO SEARCH FOR THE JOURNALIST'S SOURCES AND NOTES. BOTH CALIFORNIA AND FEDERAL LAW PROHIBIT THE USE OF SEARCH WARRANTS TO OBTAIN SUCH INFORMATION. FAC ARRANGED FOR A SUCCESSFUL LEGAL DEFENSE FOR THE FREELANCER, BRYAN CARMODY. SEPARATELY, FAC SUCCESFULLY MOVED TO UNSEAL THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S SEARCH WARRANT APPLICATIONS, REVEALING THEIR CONTENTS FOR THE PUBLIC.--FAC PREVAILED IN A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE CITY OF BAKERSFIELD FOR THE CITY COUNCIL'S FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE BROWN ACT, CALIFORNIA'S OPEN-MEETINGS LAW. AFTER NEARLY TWO YEARS OF LITIGATION, A JUDGE RULED THAT BAKERSFIELD VIOLATED THE BROWN ACT WHEN IT DISCUSSED NUMEROUS TOPICS, INCLUDING POTENTIAL TAX INCREASES AND STAFFING CUTS, BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.

SUBPOENA DEFENSE INTIATIVEFAC'S SUBPOENA DEFENSE INITIATIVE HELPS JOURNALISTS OPPOSE SUBPOENAS SEEKING THEIR CONFIDENTIAL SOURCES AND NOTES -- PROTECTED UNDER CALIFORNIA'S JOURNALIST "SHIELD LAW." FAC ARRANGES FOR COUNSEL FOR JOURNALISTS OTHERWISE UNABLE TO PAY FOR LAWYERS. THE INITIATIVE ALSO INCLUDES TRAINING SEMINARS FOR LAWYERS, TEACHING THEM THE DETAILS OF JOURNALIST SUBPOENA DEFENSE. IN 2019 FAC EXPANDED THESE SEMINARS BEYOND CALIFORNIA, HOSTING SEMINARS IN NEW YORK CITY AND WASHINGTON, DC.

LEGAL HOTLINE SERVICEIN 2019, HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF INDIVIDUALS - JOURNALISTS, BLOGGERS, ACTIVISTS, STUDENTS AND ORDINARY CITIZENS - RECEIVED ANSWERS TO THEIR LEGAL QUESTIONS ABOUT ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT RECORDS AND MEETINGS, THE FIRST AMENDMENT, COPYRIGHT AND OTHER RELATED MATTERS. THE HOTLINE IS STAFFED BY LAWYERS WHO PROVIDE THE SERVICE FOR FAC ON A REDUCED FEE BASIS.

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