Open Government and Open Courts
FOIA and Government Transparency
Meaningful citizen participation depends on the public’s ability to access information. Throughout our 40 years, Public Citizen Litigation Group has worked to increase government transparency, litigating more significant open government cases than any firm or organization in the country. Today, we continue to represent a wide variety of organizations, community groups, journalists, academics, and other individuals seeking to obtain information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and other open government laws.
Open Court Proceedings and Challenges to Protective Orders
Our system of government has a long tradition of courts that are open to the public. Open courts discourage judicial corruption and help ensure that all parties receive fair treatment. In addition, court files often include evidence about risks to public health and safety that a party prefers to keep secret. To ensure that our courts remain open and accountable, Public Citizen resists efforts by courts and litigants to seal court files.