NFOIC Report Examines How States Resolve Access Issues

The National Freedom of Information Coalition has released a study of the various ways states resolve access to information disputes without litigation. The report,"Mediation Without Litigation," reviews state models such as formal and informal resolutions, and mediation by attorneys general or government-sponsored entities.

"In the end, the effectiveness of any given system depends largely on the political support provided by government as well as state access advocates," Hammitt writes. "Beyond political support, however, these offices are most effective when their employees believe deeply in the right to access."

The complete report, written by Access Reports Editor and Publisher Harry Hammitt, a board member of the Virginia Coalition for Open Government, is available on the NFOIC Web site.