Patti Epler News Today

Forget the family pedigree—Robert F. Kennedy Jr should not be the next president of the United States

In confidential lawsuits, a select few can keep sometimes embarrassing legal disputes hush-hush in ways that experts say may violate the First Amendment. 

“We learned that people have an interest if they can get to us."

The Civil Beat Law Center for the Public Interest has asked Circuit Court Judge Gary Chang to unseal names of defendants in a case, restore a complaint the judge removed and lift a gag order imposed on the center.

Among other weird legal twists, the judge in the case slapped a gag order on the attorney trying to get the records unsealed.

The Attorney General's investigative report details wrongdoing by then-State Auditor Jan Yamane and her top assistants.

Lawmakers have much leeway to make drastic changes to bills in midsession, but could also be hauled into court if they go too far.

The latest ruling brings the city's costs to about $127,000 in the eight-year-old case.  

The bill would roll back a Hawaii Supreme Court ruling that opened up many records to the public, including draft documents and records that show how an agency came to a decision.

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