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Access to Government in the Computer Age (MP3 Audio Download) |
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Public access to all levels of government is a tenet that reaches back to the very beginnings of this country. All fifty states now have government access and public records laws intended to ensure that those seeking information about the business of government have a right to inspect and obtain copies of government records.
Most of those statutes, however, were adopted well before computers and information technology became so central to government operations, a shift that has created both opportunities for greater public access and the possibility of new barriers to access.
In addition, many of these public records statutes and much of the case law in the area of government access have resulted in practical dilemmas for government officials and employees and for those who do business with government, some caused by the shift to digital forms of records, some by the move to greater out-sourcing of government functions, and others merely by the day-to-day practicalities of conducting government business in a public forum.
This downloadable audio program focuses on issues that arise, in one form or another, in all jurisdictions. - To what extent should electronic communications to or from government officials and employees be accessible to the public?
- Where should the line between private information on individuals and public information be drawn?
- When do the records of a public contractor become public records?
- How do public records laws relate to rules of discovery?
- What government records should be available for someone litigating against the government?
- Is government's obligation to retain records effected by threatened litigation?
- Does the obligation to make records accessible to the public impinge upon the ability of government attorneys to effectively advise their client and protect client confidential information?
- Does access to government laws put the government attorney at a disadvantage when dealing with private litigants?
The attorneys on the panel, all experienced in representing government clients or clients who routinely do business with government, discuss and offer insight into these and other questions associated with laws providing open access to government.
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This download includes the MP3 audio file and the course materials in PDF. Both files will be delivered together in a ZIP file. To play an audio download in MP3 format, your will need a media player such as iTunes, Windows Media Player, RealPlayer, or Quicktime. For instructions on loading MP3 files to a portable media device, please refer to your device's instruction manual.Course materials require Adobe Reader®.
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Immediately after checkout, the download file(s) will be available in Your Downloads (accessible in the left navigation area of the Web Store when logged in).
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