Identifying Public Records
Whether you advise a government entity or seek information from a government for your private client, the Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) provides a useful tool for access to public records. Although many requests seek documents that everyone agrees are public information, the exceptions to disclosure and evolution of an array of electronic information that might constitute a public record can pose dilemmas for the government and the requester.
Two appellate decisions that came out during the summer highlight some of the nuances that arise with identifying public records and public employment generally. In Lamson v. Montgomery County, the Maryland Court of Appeals revisited the issue of when a supervisor’s notes become a public record. Read More…
Bessie Decker to Retire as Clerk of Court of Appeals
By Steve Klepper (Twitter: @MDAppeal)
In bittersweet news for the Maryland bench and bar, Bessie Decker, the first-ever woman to serve as Clerk of the Court of Appeals, will retire on October 1. The upcoming vacancy is now posted on the Maryland Courts website, with an application deadline of October 5.
A 2008 news story regarding Ms. Decker’s appointment provides some background on her long, distinguished service to the Court of Appeals and Maryland bar: Read More…
September 2018 Maryland Certiorari Grants
On Friday, the Court of Appeals granted review in one civil and one criminal case. These grants are in addition to one civil grant on August 30. The grants, with questions presented, are below. Read More…
The Janus decision should not be a surprise
Two years ago, we awaited the appointment of a successor to the empty seat on the U.S. Supreme Court that resulted from the death of Justice Scalia. An early casualty of a tie votes occurred in Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association, No. 14-915. Many public employers and employees had their eyes on the case, which involved the California Teachers Association, because its outcome had the potential to alter the relationship between public employees and their union representatives that has existed since the 1970s. Read More…
Five Years of the Maryland Appellate Blog
By Steve Klepper (Twitter: @MDAppeal)
The Maryland Appellate Blog officially launched five years ago today. The launch coincided with the first arguments of the September 2013 Term, which was Chief Judge Barbera’s first full term as chief judge. Read More…
Maryland Appellate Blog 