March 11-17 is Sunshine Week, highlighting and celebrating laws aimed at preserving transparency and accountability in government.
In Ohio R.C. 121.22 (the Open Meetings Act) and 149.43 (the Public Records Act), are the main sources of law protecting the citizenry’s right to know and appreciate what is being done in its name.
In the past year, Finney Law Firm’s public interest practice group has obtained results for our clients, obtaining public records, and forcing open the doors of government.
State ex rel. Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes v. Winton Woods School District – Several and Serial violations of the Open Meetings Act; illegal executive sessions, including numerous executive sessions in which the school board simply recited the laundry list of personnel related matters set forth in the Open Meetings Act.
State of Ohio ex rel. Mick Higgins v. City of Springdale – voting by secret ballot; illegal executive sessions.
Even without litigation, we have obtained results for our clients in drafting and submitting public records requests to public bodies throughout Ohio to allow our clients to better monitor their local officials.
Currently we are preparing for an appeal to the Ohio Supreme Court in a case involving deficient meeting minutes and secret ballot voting by a village council in northern Ohio. Expect to hear more about that case soon.
Click here to learn more about Ohio’s Sunshine Laws in the “Yellow Book” distributed by State Auditor David Yost and Attorney General Mike DeWine.
Click here to read more about Ohio’s Sunshine Laws.
Need help with your local government? Contact us here.
