If a Florida parent wants to see the personnel file for their child’s public school teacher, the school would hand it over. In North Carolina, that parent probably would be turned away, said media lawyer John Bussian, who represents Carolina Journal and other media outlets. That’s one reason North Carolinians should care about Sunshine Week...
John Bussian is the principal of the Bussian Law Firm, which specializes in media litigation and has long been a national leader in defending the First Amendment. Bussian and the firm, as its website says, have litigated myriad libel and open government issues, as well as subpoenas directed to newsrooms, courtroom and court records access...
The University of North Carolina System’s Board of Governors Chairman Harry Smith has recused himself from all communications with East Carolina University, his alma mater, and the third largest school in the system. Now, UNC System offices are refusing to release a personnel review of the school’s embattled Chancellor Cecil Staton — even though Staton...
Open government violations at a Feb. 7 North Carolina Military Affairs Commission meeting prompted legislation to make such offenses a crime. The incident could affect the Senate confirmation process of Larry Hall as secretary of military and veterans affairs, according to state Sen. Norman Sanderson, R-Pamlico. Sanderson said he co-sponsored Senate Bill 77 partly in response...
A lawyer defending the News & Observer of Raleigh against a libel suit filed by a State Bureau of Investigation special agent suggested in court Wednesday that the case actually might be an attempt by the state to protect the image of the Department of Justice and State Crime Lab that were under the management...
