The Third District Court of Appeal recently issued an opinion that significantly limits the ability of governmental entities to challenge large scale public records requests. In Getz v. Superior Court, 72 Cal.App.5th 637 (2021), the Court noted the plain directive of Gov. Code § 54950 that “government business is the people’s business,” whether conducted in deliberative proceedings or records of...
With homelessness encampments encroaching upon public spaces, local governments are looking for creative ways to resolve this issue.In Martin v. Boise, the Ninth Circuit Court held that “the Eighth Amendment prohibits the imposition of criminal penalties for sitting, sleeping, or lying outside on public property for homeless individuals who cannot obtain shelter.” It did not establish a constitutional right to...