Public Records, Open Meetings Update 2024

  • OnDemand seminar
  • Administrative Law
  • Government Law
View schedule and faculty
Public Records, Open Meetings Update 2024

Coproduced with the Government Lawyers Division of the State Bar of Wisconsin

Let the sunshine in

Wisconsin public policy strongly favors public access to information and transparency in government.1 But complying with public records and open meetings (PROM) laws isn’t always a straightforward process.The Public Records, Open Meetings Update 2024 is the perfect opportunity for both new and experienced lawyers to gain clarity on Wisconsin law and catch up on the latest developments.

Two nearly identical recent Wisconsin Court of Appeals cases resulted in contradictory rulings on public access to health information about people adjudicated incompetent to vote.2 You’ll analyze the key differences in each district’s application of the public records law and discuss the “except as otherwise provided by law” exemption to the presumption of public access.

8:30 am
Case law Updates

Peter Block

8:55 am
Redacting Records in the 21st Century: Blacking Out, Blurring, and Editing

Ben Sparks, Christa Westerberg

  • When to redact records
  • How to redact
  • Charges for redaction
  • Video redaction after 2023 Wisconsin Act 253
9:45 am
Break
10:00 am
How the 2nd and 4th District Appellate Courts’ Decisions Differ in Their Application of Public Records Law

James Davies

  • Overview of Alliance v. Reynold and Alliance v. Secord
  • Analysis of key differences in application of the public records law
  • Interplay of statutory interpretation and public records law when applying the “except as otherwise provided by law” exception to a presumption of access
10:50 am
Best Practices and Tips for Communicating Electronically

Moderator: Elizabeth Majerus Panelists: Scott Brown, Paul M. Ferguson, Tom Kamenick

  • Messaging during meetings
  • Collaborative software
  • Social media: best practices and Lindke v. Freed
  • Hypotheticals and interactive scenarios
12:05 pm
Program Concludes

Program Chairs

Peter J. Block (and Presenter)
Milwaukee City Attorney’s Office · Milwaukee
Julie Wilson
Milwaukee City Attorney’s Office · Milwaukee

Presenters

7 total
Scott Brown
Milwaukee Corporation Counsel · Milwaukee
James Davies
Milwaukee Corporation Counsel · Milwaukee
Paul M. Ferguson
Attorney General's Office · Madison
Tom Kamenick
Wisconsin Transparency Project · Port Washington
Elizabeth Majerus
City of Sheboygan · Sheboygan
Ben Sparks
American Oversight · Washington DC
Christa Westerberg
Pines Bach LLP · Madison

  • Receive a deep dive on redacting public records
  • Discuss the implications of contradictory Wisconsin Court of Appeals rulings on public access to voter information
  • Hear best practices for communicating electronically
  • Examine the most significant case law updates from the past year
  • Confidently advise clients in requesting records or responding to records requests
  • Government lawyers
  • Municipal lawyers
  • Administrative and local government lawyers
  • Civil rights lawyers
  • Constitutional lawyers
  • Criminal law practitioners
  • Media lawyers

Book Bonus!

The Wisconsin Public Records and Open Meetings Handbook
Save 15% on The Wisconsin Public Records and Open Meetings Handbook.* Whether you represent a governmental entity, the media, or a private citizen, The Handbook offers practical guidance on public records law applications and the requirements for open meetings in Wisconsin. Use discount code CA3671 when you order online or by calling (800) 728-7788.

*Discount applies to both print and digital Books Unbound editions of this title and cannot be applied to previous purchases. Offer valid through 12/31/25. For Books Unbound users, discount may be applied to purchase of individual Books Unbound title only and may not be used on the purchase of libraries. Discount cannot be combined with any other offers.

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